


Taste of Thunder

by KittenBlueStudios



Series: Profound [3]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Evfra hates life, Extremely Slow Burn, F/M, Female twin Ryders, First Kiss, JAAL STOP BEING CUTE, Lust, NSFW, Slow Burn, don't hate me, guys they haven't even kissed yet and it's part 3, jaal keeps thinking about sex guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-12 00:32:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 56,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17457215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittenBlueStudios/pseuds/KittenBlueStudios
Summary: No one expects it when life throws you a little good in the midst of a lot of bad. A taste of things to come is always a pleasant way to start...(Currently undergoing some edits: 2/19/2019)https://kittenbluestudios.tumblr.com/ to see art I've done for this series!





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edits done 2/19/2019 to this chapter. No edits will change the story line, simply add to the chapter and characters. :)

Veold’s missions couldn’t end soon enough, in Viveka Ryder’s opinion. Especially now that they were huddled in a cave with one stupid heat lamp on the way back to a location that the Tempest could pick them up. It was still cold. And wet. And all around terrible.

 

They’d been on the planet for almost a week and a half now, and while Ryder had gotten into the Vault and cleared up the damned blizzard, she needed to get back and talk to Resistance leaders here on Veold quickly. Sadly, there hadn't been enough time to grab the remtech from the Vault that PeeBee wanted, but they could return later. She had to focus on other things first. For one, she had had an idea about using the ice of Veold as a water source. It wasn't a perfect idea, but it would get her people the water they desperately needed.

 

That is, if everyone was okay with it. The Angara still weren't in an official alliance with the Initiative yet, so it was entirely up to locals to allow an outpost, according to Jaal.

 

She rolled over, glad to have the extra blankets Jaal had grabbed. The big Angara, currently, was protectively curled up beside her, blocking the wind from getting to her. His back to her, as he often slept, though his feet always seeming to be touching her legs somehow. It was almost endearing, the way he craved contact with others. She often gave in, touching his arm or giving him a hug just to quell that strange urge for touch. He appreciated it greatly, it seemed, his hugs often long and warming.

 

He was a clingy guy, almost child like with how innocently he clung to her side. Drack was sitting nearby, as always, watching them with a fierce over protective streak. He’d taken to Jaal, somehow. Jaal learned much from Drack in the same enthusiastic way she did, and Drack took them under his wing with Krogan pride. It was sweet, how the old Krogan grumbled about them and she'd still find herself swept up for a light Krogan headbutt from the old man. He was particularly close to her, she knew. Even now, he was sitting near by, watching over them as they rested.

 

To Drack, they were Nakmor, part of his clan. She knew that. She understood that. Drack didn’t say that, and probably wouldn’t explain it to Jaal, but she knew. It would probably be something interesting to discuss with Jaal at a later date, but not now. Now she was focused on keeping warm.

 

With a shivering breath, Ryder rolled back over and curled up into a tighter ball. Nights were the worst on Veold! She had to keep rolling to keep both her front and back warm, and it was frustrating. A shiver raked through her and she pulled the blankets closer around her.

 

With a soft sigh, and a thrumming rumble she felt Jaal roll into place against her back.

 

“You really are too delicate for such conditions.” He murmured sleepily, unconsciously rubbing his nose into her hair. She assumed it was a scent thing. He did it often when he was tired and not in the right mind. He yawned, his mouth opening wide and his tongue curling as his content purr increased in volume. She almost laughed as she felt his breath ghost over her cheek in a warm puff. She didn't mind his closeness, especially in the cold. He was always warm. Apparently Angara retained heat overly well, not doing well in high temperatures. That suited her just fine. He seemed hyper aware of her, every time she felt cold he was suddenly coming in close. Warming her with his body heat.

 

A hand around her waist, and an arm pillowing her head he quickly drifted off to sleep, his rumbling purrs echoed with soft snores. He always snored. She was nervous the first time he'd done this, curling around her in his sleep. He always fell asleep nearby, and somehow ended up cuddled up with her. She wondered if it had to do with his nuzzling obsession with her hair. Was it really a scent thing? Do Angara bond through smell? Questions filled her mind as she yawned, turning in his hold and curling into the warmth of his chest. He grunted at the movement, shifting a leg and grabbing her leg with is feet, pulling her in closer.

 

Ryder chuckled as she closed her eyes. He was going to be embarrassed when he woke up. He always seemed nervous when they woke up so close, and today he'd just tangled their legs together. It was going to be a funny morning.

 

Warm, and safe, Viveka Ryder drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 

\-----

 

Aya was bustling with activity. Evfra wove his way through the streets, scowling at the messages he was receiving from Jaal. The alien had made much progress on Veold, and, annoyingly, Jaal sang her praises like the idiot friend he’d always known.

 

He skirted around a merchant who was telling others about how the Initiative had sent in a team of scouts and found his supplier deceased, and the Pathfinder was going to bring him his supplies! The other merchants were happily drinking in the information, gasping at the news. They all seemed to readily drink in the words, taking them as a good sign.

  


And it was. There wasn’t much to gain from helping the merchant, other than someone to trade with here on Aya, where they may or may not be welcome in the future. Yes, it was nice to have contacts, but it wouldn’t be beneficial unless the alliance was secure. And she knew it wasn’t—not yet. He’d made it clear to the human that he didn’t trust her or her Initiative aliens, but still she helped the random passer by. Even on Veold, it seemed, she helped where ever she could. Whenever she could.

 

His bioelectrics skimmed over his biotool, and he read the next message.

 

**To: Evfra de Tershaav**

**From: Viveka Ryder**

 

**Commander de Tershaav, I’m sending this message through an encrypted system so that only you may view it, for obvious reasons. I found Kett pass codes while here on Veold that could help infiltration of the Kett Command Center. I have passed them to Techiix command, and made sure Jaal didn’t send the information to you through unsecured channels.**

 

**There are Kett everywhere here, and with so many communication towers. I am sure that any information sent that isn’t encrypted is compromised.**

 

**Be cautious, I am sending you encryption techniques and how to build upon them, should you need the information. Keep your people altering them for safety. Obviously, I do not expect you to use the exact encryption techniques, as I know them, and our alliance has not become official, but I hope you will modify them for the sake of your people none the less.**

 

**I am aware you still hold little to no trust for me and mine, and I don’t expect anything less than that. Keep keeping yours safe, I’ll keep proving I’m here to help, not hinder.**

 

**-Pathfinder Viveka S. Ryder**

 

**P.S. Jaal wanted me to say hi. He’s been a great help and a wonderful friend!**

**P.P.S.** **Never mind.** **Take him back. He’s terrible. He called me tiny. Again.**

 

Evfra entered the Resistance Head Quarters with a small snort of amusement. She really was a blind idiot.

 

\------------

As it turned out, the Angaran male didn’t care that he’d curled up against her that night. In fact, when questioned why he had simply told her she was cold. As if it were so simple to admit that he had held her close and kept her warm. It was...slightly confusing and a little disappointing. She...kind of wanted to see him embarrassed. Even just a little.

  


The next night they were in similar conditions he had immediately curled himself around her, cocooning her in warmth as soon as they settled in to sleep. She’d been the one blushing then, but she hid it by burying her face in his rofjinn. It was odd, knowing he found this normal behavior. It was nice, yes, but to him it was so simple to be so close to someone—anyone she guessed. She decided not to look too much into it, after all, he was an alien with very different cultural values.

 

**SAM(Private): Pathfinder, outpost beacon is set.**

 

**Viveka(Private): Thank you, Sam.**

 

“Alright, Initiative shuttles will be inbound and there will be several coming in for the next few weeks. Here is Director Addison’s information so you may contact her about shuttle times and Director Kesh’s information for trade. If you need specifics on the people coming in, here is a detailed list of why they were chosen, their specialties, names, and what the outpost will be used for.” Viveka outlined for the Angara Resistance Leader in Techiix. Her helm off and set down on a crate nearby, she got more than a few stares of curiosity about her hair. Some bolder soldiers had even asked to touch it, which she allowed with a smile.

Jaal found it amusing to see the tiny human get her head pet by large Angara. He wondered if that was how they looked together, and how endearing it seemed to be because of her small stature. The Techiix leader reached forward, rubbing some hair between his fingers curiously, and she laughed, a warm blush spreading over her cheeks. She stood only up to the other Angara's chest, causing him to look down at her as one would a child. Yet, in the midst of it all, she was relaying information and sending out orders to the Initiative aliens.

 

Jaal quickly began sending a message to Evfra about the events, happy with the outcome. The Initiative presence on Veold will help immensely, as they would have some military stationed there to help with Kett. It was to be a resource and research outpost, but the military presence would be needed for protection. It would also be a chance for them to gain valuable information along side the researching aliens.

 

Evfra still had reservations on sending them in to get the Moshae, and that was extremely irritating, but he knew the Moshae was strong. He had faith in her.

 

If anyone could survive the Kett it was her.

 

Evfra was a stubborn man, but smart. He knew what he was doing. Or, at least, Jaal hoped so. The older Angara always seemed so confident and sure, but there were times that, like all Angara, his emotions ruled him. He didn't trust the aliens, and Jaal understood that fear. Still, these aliens were _not Kett._

 

Looking over at Ryder, who had finished up priority business and was currently showing an Angara her glove-less too-many fingered hand, he smiled.

 

_She is...definitely not like Kett. She is uniquely herself._

 

Her many fingers wiggled at the Angara, who scrunched up his nose at the strangeness and asked many questions. She grinned and answered them all with patience, even allowing the Angara to gently take her hand and examine it for himself. Jaal chuckled and walked over to her. She was the strangest little thing, and he adored it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edits to this chapter were done on 2/19/2017

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rofjinn-Jaal's poncho! You guys know this one by now.  
> olasajinn - "small clinging clothes" under armor. Angara don't have underwear in my story, but they do have under armor!

The Tempest was the warmest place on Veold, and many of the crew were happy to stay aboard for that very reason. When Ryder boarded the Tempest and waited through the decontamination cycle with Jaal and Drack, she was so happy to finally be out of the cold she could have _danced._

  


However, she was exhausted. She’d just received word that Evfra wanted a video conference in an hour and she would prefer to shower and get some food in her before hand. As the decontamination room opened up to the Tempest Cargo hold, she gladly headed straight for her room to grab a change of clothes.

 

“Jelly Bean, if you can take that research we found in the Vault to Peebs? I’m going to shower before we talk to Evfra.” Viveka called over her shoulder to the purple Angara, who nodded, scratching the orange stripe on his nose. His eyes focused on hers and he smiled.

 

“Of course, _Viveka_.” He said, her name rolling off his tongue like a seductive web. She couldn’t point out when on Veold he’d begun calling her by her first name, but he certainly said it well! He always seemed to take his time to say it, his accent making her name sound _exotic._

 

She had a feeling he did it on purpose, drawing out her name in a way that made her feel like he was savoring the taste of it on his tongue. Teasing her with her own _name_! She shook her head, grabbing another set of under armor and underwear, stripping out of her armor, and heading back out of her room. He couldn't be teasing her like that, they barely knew one another. She was being silly, letting her fantasies about new aliens run away with her.

 

Stepping into the bathroom she set her clothes neatly on the sink counter before pulling out her shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body scrub, facial wash, and a razor. Placing them all neatly in the shower, she looked at the green symbol on the door with a frown.

 

“Sam, lock the bathroom doors. I don’t want to be walked in on.”

 

**SAM(Private): Of course, Pathfinder.**

 

“When are you going to stop calling me Pathfinder?”

 

**SAM(Private): I had noticed you are uncomfortable when addressed by the title, however, I did not know what else to call you.**

 

“How about just Viv? Viveka? Vivi? Veka? I don’t care, really. I’m not, you know, just the Pathfinder.”

 

**SAM(Private): My analysis indicates you prefer Viveka from Jaal, but Viv from others. Changing designation Pathfinder to Viv. Thank you, Viv.**

 

“Why are you thanking me?”

 

**SAM(Private): Because we have grown from this talk.**

 

“ _O-kay_. Whatever you say, Sam.”

 

\-----

 

After giving PeeBee the data, Jaal had changed into fresh clothes quickly, leaving his _rofjinn_ off so he could clean it later and leaving his armor on the work bench for him to mend later. His tight _olasajinn_ clung to him like a second skin, being very high at the waist, though, it was covered by the shirt that was given to him by Liam. He’d made some adjustments, of course, to the neckline. The white ‘tee-shirt’ was not uncomfortable by any means, clinging to his shoulders as it did, but it did drape over his waist in a way that made him feel a bit self conscious.

 

His waist was handsomely thin, after all, and he worked hard to keep it that way!

 

Would it be seen as vain of him to tuck the shirt into his _olasajinn_? He shook his head at the thought and simply let it fall as is. Looking down at himself, he wondered if it made him look as big as he really thought. He hoped not. He liked it when Viveka looked upon his figure!

 

Smoothing his hands over the white fabric he sighed, hoping he looked okay. Not that he thought he didn’t look fine—it was simply...he didn’t want to look too...alien. He wanted to look _attractive_ to the small human woman. He knew he must already look so, after all, he didn’t miss the glances his way or the flushing of her cheeks when he wore his _olasajinn_ around the ship.

 

Sighing, he tucked the shirt in anyway. Looking down at himself, he untucked the shirt again, positive now that it would seem less...obvious that he wanted her to look his way. He felt his cowl heat up slightly at the thought, if she figured out he wore things, did these things, for her to look his way. Smiling, thinking of how he’d catch her eyes lingering on him once more, he left the Tech Lab.

 

With a light bounce in his step, he walked up the ramp to the conference area and sat on the couch, waiting for Viveka.

 

_Viveka._

 

It was such a lovely name. He loved saying it, and it pleased him immensely that she had allowed him to call her by her first name. He’d read that that was a step forward in trust! Based on some of the romance novels, at least. He savored the way it rolled off his tongue, enjoying the way it sounded coming from his lips. Enjoying her _reaction_ to him saying it. She seemed to get caught off guard every time he said it, sometimes a light dusting of pink tinting her cheeks. Sometimes her tongue would quickly dart out, moistening her lips. Other times, when her back was turned, she’d slightly pause mid-step. It seemed to be all good signs, at least, from what he’d learned of human body language.

 

He adored her, and everything about her. She was fascinating, beautiful, kind, wild, and, at times, a little scary. She kept him looking, thinking, wondering about how to do things. A never ending puzzle that he relished in spending all his time on. She seemed to find him interesting as well, asking him questions about himself or his culture. They’d covered various topics, and they all seemed to make them both aware of how alien they were to each other...in a good way.

 

And she took him on exciting _adventures_! Not just any missions, but adventures! He wasn’t just stalking Kett, they were _hunting them down._

 

It reminded him of tales of Evfra’s rise in ranks. Evfra just had to see the good she’d done! He had to!

 

His chest hummed with his excitement. It was probably why Evfra wanted to talk. He looked down at his cloth covered feet and smiled, curling his toes into a fist as he remembered their first spar. What a suprise that was! She’d actually knocked him off his feet!

 

And she ended up in his grasp, dangling in the air. It was a wonderful memory.

 

He chuckled.

 

She was so _exciting!_

 

\-----

 

Viveka pulled on her white under armor, wincing as it pressed against the bruises she’d accumulated from battles on Veold. They’d been lucky. No one had been truly injured the entire time they were on the ground. Drack needed his prosthetics tuned up, but that’s about it.

 

She sighed as she pulled the dark blue towel over her shoulders and decided to air dry her hair. Quickly squeezing out the excess water, she made her way out of the bathroom.

 

She rubbed at her hair with her towel with her left hand after she made her way up the ladder and down the hall. A quick glance up the stairs made her pause as she realized Jaal was lounging on the couch looking at a data pad, an arm draped over the back of the furniture. He was wearing those tight pants again, and a modified tee that showed off his broad shoulders.

 

She dropped her eyes and continued up, pretending not to notice. After all, she was wearing form fitting clothing herself. She could feel a light blush threatening to creep it’s way onto her cheeks, as it often did when she saw him in those pants.

 

Which she really shouldn’t be thinking about right now. She smiled and looked back up as she got to the top of the stairs. She should focus her thoughts on the matter at hand, not aliens who looked amazing in tights.

 

“Hey, Jelly Bean!” She said before turning her back to him and accessing the vidcom system. “Ready to talk to your boss?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edits done 2/19/2019

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild NSFW warning ahoy, Jaal's a lustful boy.

Jaal’s gaze raked over Viveka’s body, eyes wide. Her every curve, dip, every _little detail_ was exposed to him with that...garment. The swell of her breasts, the dip of her belly button, every temptation he’d imagined was there in front of him. He swallowed thickly as she turned her back to him, her ample behind drawing his attention immediately. He almost groaned when she bent over the com system.

 

His bioelectrics thrummed around him as she asked if he was ready to talk to Evfra. _No_ , no he was _not._ Not while she was dressed like that. 

 

“Not with you dressed like a _meal,_ Viveka.” He answered, bluntly. She glanced at him, a light blush on her cheeks and a brow raised.

 

“A meal? Jelly Bean, I didn’t think _you’_ _re_ _one to talk, you are usually less covered than this_. Plus, this, literally, covers all of me from the neck down.” She said, standing up and placing a hand on her hip. “You’re starting to remind me of PeeBee, saying I look like a meal of all things.”

 

“I am not _blind,_ Viveka.” He said, shamelessly allowing his eyes to roam. “You are... _distracting.”_

 

 _I want to devour her. I want to taste her skin, drink her in like water. I want to feel her--_ His thoughts were going wild and he leaned forward, a confident smirk on his lips. He placed his elbows on his knees and hooked his fingers together as he looked at her with half lidded eyes. “ _Deliciously so.”_

 

Viveka blushed prettily under his stare, and turned about to head down the stairs. “Okay, _okay,_ heading down to get a different set of clothes! Stop looking at me like you’re going to pounce on me or something. Holy crap, this from someone who is always shirtless!”

 

“If you do not wish me to _look,_ you shouldn’t wear such enticing things.”

 

“It’s _under armor,_ Jaal! I wear these things _all the time!_ ” Viveka shouted, embarrassed as she stalked back to her quarters. _Wait, does that mean he wants_ me _to look? No. Shut up. He’s just weird and alien and I don’t understand the situation._

 

“Not _helping,_ Viveka!” He shouted back, his voice wavering with a growl. She blushed harder and walked faster. So, she just totally turned on an alien. Maybe. She is understanding the situation right, right? He had meant meal in a sexual sense, right? Not in a predatory eating in the literal sense...right? Oh God, what if he had? What if she just totally mentioned his shirtlessness and he had meant...Oh Lord she hoped not.

 

PeeBee paused on her way to the kitchen, smiling at Ryder.

 

“Vivi, care to join my little private party for two? You know, as _appreciation_ for the research.” She purred, reaching out and smacking Viveka’s butt. Viveka yelped.

 

“ _Jesus Christ!_ Jaal already put me through the ringer, Peebs! I’m changing!”

 

“ _Oh,_ then _I_ should join _you!”_

 

Ryder glared at PeeBee and locked her room door, leaving the Asari pouting in the hall.

 

PeeBee stalked to find Jaal.

 

“You got her to _change?!_ Out of _that!?_ You’re a _traitor!”_ PeeBee whined, plopping down on the couch next to him. “She looked _so good_! Like she was just waiting to be unwrapped! And, let me tell you, her ass is _so spank-able_ in that!”

 

Jaal groaned. “PeeBee. That is exactly _why_ she needed to change.” He said, leaning back against he couch, stretching out a leg and clenching his foot into a fist.

 

“ _Uncomfortable_ over there, Jaal?” PeeBee asked, her suggestive tone sobering. He sighed.

 

“I am never _uncomfortable_ with my attraction towards Viveka, PeeBee.” His eyes turned to her, his arm draped over his forehead. “I adore her.” His statement was simple and blunt. There was no room for misunderstandings. He wanted Viveka Ryder and _only_ her.

 

“Well, _that’s_ not the reaction I thought I’d get.” PeeBee said, placing a cheek in her palm. “Are all Angara as straight forward as you? Because, if so, I _gotta_ get me some of that.”

 

“Angara are very free with their emotions, PeeBee, if you show interest, they will let you know if the interest is returned.” He said, sitting up and picking up his data pad, looking down at it. “My interests lie singularly with Viveka. However, most Angara are interested in casual relationships or multiple stable partners.”

 

“I like that, no strings attached! I better see if we’re biologically compatible.”

 

Jaal snorted. “ _Not_ with me.”

 

“Aw, but Jaal, you’re the _shiniest_ Angara!”

 

“I may be good looking, but compliments will not have my heart singing for you, PeeBee.”

 

“Well, drat. You still have amazing thighs, though. Do you use your feet during sex?”

 

“I suppose they have their uses during intercourse, yes.”

 

“UGH! Vivi’s gonna get it so _good!”_

 

“Do you always think about sexual relations?”

 

“Uh, when so many hotties are aboard and I’m _not_ the one getting laid? _Yeah!”_

 

“Interesting. Is it cultural, an age thing, or just you?”

 

“Probably all of the above.”

 

“Hm. Asari are very much like Angara.”

 

“That’s the _best_ thing I’ve _ever_ heard you say.”

 

Viveka was suddenly at the top of the stairs, a frown on her face. She was dressed in that pink and blue outfit again, and before he could compliment her she spoke. “Right, enough flirting you two, I’m calling Evfra now.” Her voice was clipped, anger underlying the tone in her voice. She was definitely angry, jealous, and very sure she did not want to be the subject of his affections anymore!

 

Jaal choked. _No._

 

_Nonononono. I was not flirting with PeeBee, Viveka!_

 

His bioelectrics flared out with is panicked worry, but PeeBee just grinned. “Aw, I know you want me all to yourself, Vivi, but we can all share!”

 

_PeeBee, that does not help! Viveka! I was not! Viveka!_

 

Ryder snorted and Evfra popped up on the holo screen.

 

\----

 

Viveka sighed as she pulled on her blue tank top, her face still flushed from Jaal’s lingering gaze. He was male, after all, and she did have to admit, his pants, being as tight as they were, made her eyes stray, too. She still couldn’t help but wonder if it was really sexual or...the alternative wasn’t fun to think about. Really, if he ate people...then she’d know it by now...right?

 

With a shrug and a sigh, she left her room and climbed up the ladder to the bridge. Yeah, she’d know. She’s positive if he ate people he’d need to for part of his diet, and instead he lived on those fruit pastes that his people made.

  
When she got closer to the communications room voices began to filter down to her, and she froze for a moment.

 

“Do you always think about sexual relations?” Jaal’s voice asked, giving Viveka pause for only a moment as she began to head up the stairs.

 

“Uh, when so many hotties are aboard and I’m _not_ the one getting laid? _Yeah!” Peebee. Of course it’s PeeBee._

 

“Interesting. Is it cultural, an age thing, or just you?” Viveka clenched her jaw, annoyed. He had just been drinking her in, looking at her like she was some delicacy and now here he was asking about PeeBee?

 

“Probably all of the above.”

 

“Hm. Asari are very much like Angara.” _Obviously._

 

“That’s the _best_ thing I’ve _ever_ heard you say.” _Of course you’d think that, Peebs. I don’t have the patience for this._

 

She reached the top of the stairs, crossing her arms. Jaal looked over to her with a smile—she ignored it. “Right, enough flirting you two, I’m calling Evfra now.” She dropped her arms and stalked over to the vidcom system, seething.

  


_He was only momentarily looking at me because my clothes. He’s obviously not interested in me, he’s interests lie with Asari. Of course._

 

“Aw, I know you want me all to yourself, Vivi, but we can all share!” PeeBee teased and Viveka felt the tingle of Jaal’s bioelectrics.

 

_Oh, so you’re sharing that with her now, too? Fantastic._ _No. Stop thinking like that, he was interested in the way my Biotics react to him. He just came onto me because of my stupid clothes. I just have the same body parts as PeeBee. That’s all. I’m so stupid._

 

She flipped on the vidcom system with a quick and angry flip of the switch, and Evfra filled the holoscreen.

 

\--------

 

“Hello, Commander.”

 

“Pathfinder. Jaal has been keeping me updated on your ‘good deeds’ on our behalf. Your accomplishments on Veold have been...promising.” He said, begrudgingly. She nodded, placing her hands behind her back and lifting her chin.

 

“I did what I could. I chose Veold based on your comments when I first walked into your office, I knew there was a power struggle. I felt you could use the help to free up some soldiers for Kadara. I know it isn’t my choice to make, nor is it any of my business, but I hoped it helped.”

 

“Observant. A bold decision. Yes, it has been of use to my people in a few ways. Kadara, however...” He waved his hand dismissively with a look of distaste. “Back to the matter at hand. The codes you provided will be good for four weeks. The encrypted files have confirmed the Moshae is alive, and being held until that time. We were unable to confirm the exact reasons for why she is being held, but it mentioned something called exaltation.”

 

He paused, looking down at a data pad in his hand. “We do not know what this is. We have never heard of it before. Many key pieces of information are broken and unavailable to us in this file.”

 

Viveka nodded, bringing up her omnitool. “Four weeks. Do you want me to go to Havarl and further prove myself, or do you wish to start staging the attack?”

 

“Go to Havarl, I will begin planning.” Evfra paused, looking past her to the sullen Jaal. “I expect a full and detailed report rather than inane ramblings, Jaal Ama Darav.” He sneered.

 

“Of course!” Jaal said, straightening up, looking at Evfra. PeeBee looked amused.

 

“Sending rambles to your boss?” PeeBee questioned, but Jaal didn’t answer.

 

Viveka pinched her nose. “I apologize. If I had known he was _slacking_ in his _reports_ , I would have sent you detailed reports of my own. Would you like me to?”

 

“I believe that would be wise.” Evfra said, annoyed.

 

“I...apologize.” Jaal said, his shoulders sagging.

 

“Stop being a fool and do what you must to focus. Evfra out.” With that the com shut off and Viveka turned to Jaal.

 

“Sending _half-assed reports_? What? Jaal!” She stopped and sighed. Jaal stood up and reached for her.

 

“I did not mean to--”

  


“Jaal. I have thousands of lives counting on this alliance, and you sent the person deciding half-hearted progress reports.” She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know what to think of that. That...says _a lot._ ” She turned heel and walked away.

 

“ _ _Viveka-”__

 

Jaal felt tears prick his eyes as he watched her go. He felt shame and regret fill him, and he dropped his eyes to the floor.

 

_Skkut. I am a skutting fool. I...I need to fix this._

 

“Okay. That was... drama.” PeeBee said, standing with a hand on her hip. “Uh—well, I’m gonna go now.” PeeBee said, becoming instantly becoming skittish at the thought of comforting someone. Jaal straightened up and immediately head to the Tech Lab.

 

_I must fix this. It is my fault._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> edits done 2/19/2019

Jaal had been locked in the Tech Lab for three days, not coming out except for bathroom trips and a quick grab of nutrient paste. He let Viveka come in, during her rounds, but their discussions were short and to the point. He was distracted at his work bench, staring at his monitor and typing endlessly.

 

Viveka was _worried._

 

He smiled when she flared out her biotics, the comforting waves of matter brushing over him like a blanket. His bioelectrics responded in kind, and she sat on his cot, silently sipping tea and listening—not to him, but his emotions—with a confused look on her face.

 

He was stressed, worried, hopeful, sad, and a jumble of other emotions that Viveka couldn’t quite understand. She wrinkled her nose and looked at him while he typed. A pulse was sent through his bioelectrics, a purposeful very specific one, and she felt a silk-like ripple tingle around her. Up her arms, around her back, and in the crook of her neck. The tingling sensation was stronger than normal, almost like a heavy thrumming, and then it was gone.

 

“What...was that?” She asked, and Jaal looked over his shoulder at her for a moment, a smile dancing in his eyes as he sent out the same pulse once more.

 

“Feel it. Tell me what you feel. You will figure it out.” He said, turning back to his work.

 

“W-well. Okay. It...tingles....but that isn’t the right word. It’s..a stronger feeling than just a tingle, like a buzzing. It feels like it pushes up my arms, then around to my back, right between my shoulder blades. It’s like its mimicking pressure? And then there's some on my neck...um like right here?” She pointed and he glanced at her, his brow quirked with an amused glint in his eye. He sent another pulse as he turned to watch her.

 

“Oh. There's an emotion with the physical feeling and I wasn’t noticing it!” She said suddenly, a finger tapping at her mug. “A...thank you...maybe?”

 

“Hmph. Close enough. The physical feeling is meant to be there—a mimicry of something.”

 

“A hug! Aw, _Jelly Bean."_ She said this with a smile, cocking her head just a bit as she looked at him. Her hair—those ever interesting strands—fell away from her neck enticingly. He cleared his throat, looking away. He was a good friend, it seemed. Offering a hug like that.

 

He turned around and continued working on...whatever it was he was working on. Viveka didn't understand what he had been doing for the past few days. Research? He'd holed himself up in the Tech Lab, barely interacting with her when she entered. She was use to his extra ordinarily talkative self, this stand-offish behavior simply wasn't like him.

 

He hadn't hugged her in days. Maybe...maybe he hugged PeeBee when she wasn’t around. The thought was quickly shoved down. She couldn’t have these weird thoughts about her crew member, not when he was already looking at someone else. Her eyes focused on her tea and she frowned. It was obvious there was something between the two, it wasn’t like she was really looking at him like that. Not...not really.

 

“I _do_ enjoy time with you, Viveka. You are far more than you give yourself credit.” He said, picking up one of several data pads and looking it over. “My neglect of my duties has forced me to push time with the others aside, however, I will _always_ have time for you.”

 

“Wait, you’ve been spending all your time in here because of what Evfra said? You’re writing reports?” Viveka asked and he shook his head.

 

“ _Evfra,_ Viveka, had a small part. However, my intentions towards the Initiative and towards _you_ need to be taken seriously.” He looked at her with a sad smile, and shame rolled through his bioelectrics. “I was so busy being _happy_ to have met you, to be sharing this connection...I put my...personal preferences above the mission.”

 

“I don’t know if I should be mad at you or if I should give you a hug for being so cute right now. Ugh!” Viveka said, hands gripping her mug tight. “Are you saying you were talking about meeting aliens in what were suppose to be mission reports?”

 

“ _No._ Viveka. You misunderstand.” Jaal stood suddenly, walking over and dropping in front of her. She froze as the pulse was sent out again. His hands followed it, up her arms, around her back, and his nose found the crook of her neck. “I talked too much about talking to _you.”_

 

Viveka blushed, tucking her head into his cowl and reaching up with one hand to grip his shoulder. “You...um...” She blushed more as she felt it. It was rolling off him in waves. She sharply sucked in a breath through her teeth, shocked.

 

 _Affection. Unbridled deep affection._ Her heart was beating in her ears as she felt the emotion rolling off of him.

 

“Well, if I didn’t know how you felt before, I do _now._ That’s kind of...um what even? Uh...Wow.” Nervousness and confusion roiled inside her and he slowly pulled away.

 

“I wasn’t exactly _hiding_ it, Viveka.”

 

“I can’t help it! I’m an emotionally constipated human!” She said, flustered. “Worse! I’m emotionally compromised, because I was raised by an even _worse_ emotionally constipated human than normal and--” She shut up when she felt his amusement. “It’s _really_ not funny, Jaal.” She felt him take her mug from her and put it to the side.

 

She paused and then glared at him.

 

“Then why the _fuck_ are you flirting with Peebs?” She snaps, crossing her arms. Jaal laughed.

 

“Dear one, I certainly was not _flirting_ with PeeBee. I, did, however, let her know that there are plenty other Angara if she should so wish to...hm... _experiment._ ” He said, amusement fluttering through his bioelectrics as his hands placed themselves on her thighs. "I am only interested in _you."_

 

Viveka felt a blush riding up her neck and she placed her hands on his, willing him to not move his hands anywhere near her... _don’t think about that, Viveka!_ “D-Did you just call me _dear one_? Interested in _me?!_ ”

 

He chuckled, feeling her nervousness. “Dearest, dear one, darling....” He pulled himself up and pressed his forehead to hers. “ _Temptress.”_ He murmured before a quick squeeze of her thighs and fully standing, turning to get back to his reports. He gently allowed his fingers to brush over her hair as he did so, and she sputtered.

 

“As always you distract me so.” He rumbled out, accented by a deep purr coming from his chest.

 

“Y-you gave me a big huge 'hey guess what I like you' reality check and you’re going to _work on reports?!”_

 

Jaal glanced over his shoulder at her. “I would rather ravish you, Viveka, but I was reminded that I must support your efforts responsibly.” He turned slightly with a handsome smile. “Make no mistake, dear one, after seeing you so...responsive I _may_ just corner you in the showers.” He teased, lifting a brow at her.

 

“Jaal, don’t you even _think_ about it!” She squeaked out and he chuckled.

 

“I will go no farther than you allow me, Viveka. Even if you want to keep me for my friendship alone, I am content.”

 

“ _How are you even real?!”_ She says, dropping her face in her hands.

 

“Hm. Now that, I can not answer. Are you questioning reality at the moment?” Jaal asks, grabbing another data pad with a smile. “I can assure you, you are not dreaming, you are not dead, I am, in fact, corporeal.” He pauses and licks his lips with a grin. “Though, I proving exactly how real I am...”

  
She fled, leaving her mug behind with the laughing Angara.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edits done 2/19/2019

Her heart was beating in her ears when she got back to her room. Jaal was _in love_ with her. And actually _looking_ at her like...well...like _that._

 

It wasn’t that Ryder _didn’t_ have experience with sex, Kandros was proof of that, but this was on a whole different level. Jaal was...well.

 

Jelly Bean.

 

He was her extra sweet friend who fed her need for attention and affection. He was her friend who gave her hugs and talked to her about everything! He was _Jelly Bean!_

 

This was _Jelly Bean_ crushing on her! That...and he wasn’t into _PeeBee,_ which she’d just come to accept and push down that _hope._

 

Yeah, she’d _looked_ at him sometimes but not...really _looked._ Not in a really in depth possible partner type way! Okay, so maybe she had, a little, obviously. He was really good looking and nice and easy to talk to.

 

So she’d thought briefly on it a few times! Because he was undeniably attractive, yeah. And strong. And sweet. And…

 

_Am I seriously thinking about this?! Is this real?!_

 

**SAM(Private): Viv, your heart rate--**

 

“Is absolutely normal for what’s going on, SAM!”

 

**SAM(Private): Logged for future reference. Dr. T’Perro sent a list of suggestions for stress relief, would you like to reconsider some of them?**

 

“Maybe! I dunno! I’m kinda having a _moment_ , Sam.” She covered her face with her hands. “Is this really real?”

 

**SAM(Private): Yes. I believe Mr. Ama Darav had a suggestion on proving so?**

 

“ _Oh my god,_ that _so_ does not help.” Viveka groaned and dropped onto her bed. “He was being suggestive in a sexual manner Sam.”

 

**SAM(Private): Intercourse is a proven stress relief, and would put an end to your current questioning of reality.**

 

“Okay, smartass. Thanks for the info. Not going to have sex with Jaal as a reality check.”

 

**SAM(Private): Alternatively, you have just received an urgent message. I would suggest you look at it. It will take your mind off of your current romantic troubles.**

 

“ _Lovely.”_

 

**SAM(Private): Thank you for the compliment, Viv.**

 

“You’ve been adjusting your sass ratio. Great.” Ryder grumbled, moving to her desk and sitting down to read. “Lets see what we have here.”

 

**To: Viveka S. Ryder, Pathfinder**

**From: Dr. Harry Carlyle**

 

**Pathfinder Viveka Ryder,**

 

**There has been new developments regarding your sister, Nikita Ryder. Please come at your soonest convenience.**

 

**Harry**

 

 

Ryder blinked then quickly sent a response, fear gripping her heart as she did so.

  


_Please, please don’t say she’s dead. Please._

 

 

**To: Harry**

**From: Viv**

 

**Is Nick ok? She’s ok right?**

 

 

It took only a minute for her to get a reply, but to her it had felt like an eternity. She bit her thumbnail nervously, tapping her heel restlessly. When the message came in she opened it immediately, the frightening dread feeling as if it were choking her.

 

 

**To: Viveka S. Ryder, Pathfinder**

**From: Dr Harry Carlyle**

 

**She is fine, Viveka, but we need to see you as soon as possible.**

 

 

“SAM, tell Kallo to set course for the Nexus, like, now. Reschedule our time table for one standard day at the Nexus and send the schedule out to the crew. Also tell them to come directly to me with questions and concerns. Make sure Jaal is aware to be ready, since he has to stick with me, and tell him we’re going to be in a hurry.”

 

**SAM(Private): Relaying...Complete. Mr. Ama Darav is concerned about the sudden change in plans, and is coming to speak with you. Vetra Nix is planning for a restock in our supplies now. Mr. Brodie is planning on upgrading the FTL drives while we are there, we may have an adjusted time table due to travel time differences. All other crew members have no concerns or immediate matters to attend to.**

 

“Thanks, Sam.”

 

Just as she answered SAM, her door opened with and Jaal stepped in. “SAM says we will be going to the Nexus?”

 

“Yes. I received a medical alert on my sister. Family emergency.” Viveka raised her chin a notch, remembering how Nick always held herself. “They said I am needed immediately.”

  


He studied her for a moment, the moisture in her eyes, the slight shaking of her limbs. She was distressed. He watched as she inhaled deeply, as if to control herself. Why were humans like this? Why did she feel the need to hide away her distress?

 

Jaal stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around her. “It is okay.” He said and she broke in his arms. Her shoulders dropped, her body went limp and she just _shattered._

 

Tears fell from her cheeks and she grasped onto him tight, turning her face into his cowl. Shaking with every breath, she sobbed uncontrollably, the fear from that first message just came pouring out. She’d thought she lost Nick. She thought _Nick_ who she loved more than _anything_ was _gone._

 

They were identical twins. They even shared a birth mark, under opposite eyes, showing they had obviously at one point been one. They were two parts of a whole.

 

And for a moment, when she thought Harry was sending news of Nick's death, it felt like the universe had collapsed around her.

 

Through choking sobs and gasping breaths she garbled it all out to Jaal, who patiently pulled her close and stroked her hair and back. Some how, along the way, he ended up sitting on the floor with her curled up in his lap and he didn’t mind. He stayed there, wrapped around her protectively, murmuring that she was okay and that her sister was fine.

 

And, after a while, she was able to collect herself enough to look up at him clearly. His eyes full of tears, he had cried with her silently.

 

Her Jelly Bean had cried with her.

 

She brought her hands up, palmed his cheeks and brought his forehead down to hers. His rumbling purr was immediate and loud, and she laughed through her tears. It was a choked, sobbing laugh, but one just the same.

 

“Jelly Bean, you really are the best.” She said quietly and he snorted as if in disbelief.

 

“You are mistaken, dear one, the best is currently in my arms.” He replied and Viveka closed the distance between them, softly pressing her lips to his cheek. He jumped a little at first before a big grin spread across his face. “Ah! Such _gifts_! I must come to your rescue more often, I think.”

 

“Yeah, yeah! Now let me up, you flirt!”

 

“Hmm…will I get another kiss?”

 

“ _JAAL!”_

 

His laugh echoed throughout her room as he stood, lifting her easily with one arm, just as he’d bragged he could do once before. She blushed bright red, and it brought attention to the tear stains on her cheek. Lifting a hand, he wiped them away.

 

“Well, you are up.”

 

“...I’m going to _bite_ you!” She said with false anger, leaning her cheek into his hand for a moment before straightening up with a shy smile.

 

“I might like that.”

 

She made a garbled choking sound as she covered her face with both hands. “Jaal Ama Darav!” Her voice was muffled by her palms while she yelled and he laughed at her distress.

 

“Okay, Viveka, I will stop teasing...for tonight.” He said, setting her down on her feet and running his fingers through her hair. “It will be hard to stop, I like how you respond to me.”

 

“I _noticed.”_ Viveka grumbled pouting. “You didn’t flirt this much _before_!”

 

“I’ve been flirting with you for quite some time—you just weren’t _listening.”_

 

“You’re saying I’m blind as fuck.”

 

“No, Viveka.” He bent down, grabbing her hand in his and rubbing his cheek against her palm before kissing it lightly. “You would not notice if you were not _ready_ to notice. Your attention to my attraction means the attraction is mutual, I had been prepared for the possibility it wasn’t. I still am prepared for you to turn me away should you wish to remain friends. I will be at your side despite your choices, because I wish to be near my dear one.”

 

“You are not real. Just. Yup. I’m crazy you’re some _hallucination._ Only explanation.” Viveka said, completely serious and Jaal just laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited 2/19/2019!

There was a fine line between safe and just annoyingly over cautious. When they landed on the Nexus the security guard stationed there was definitely on the overly cautious side. Not only did he do double scans on the Pathfinder team, he tried to stop Drack from entering the Nexus _at all_.

 

Apparently some asshole named Spender was poking his nose in security business and putting in orders.

 

This was especially annoying, because this forced Viveka to call Kandros.

 

“Is there a reason my team is being held up and scanned like we’re _criminals_ , Tiran? Something I should know, or can I just punch this guy, because I’m kind of holding back an angry Krogan, and my Angara envoy isn’t too pleased either.” Viveka snapped using the vidcom system in her omnitool.

 

Kandros’ mandibles flicked as he typed in some things. “Those aren’t my orders. That Spender kid is undermining me again. I’ll talk to him, this isn’t his business, he’s _Addison’s_ problem. I shouldn’t have to deal with him. Sending word to the guards to let you all through now, and to ignore all requests from Spender.”

 

“Tell Addison about this incident, and tell her if he gets his ass in my way again I’m personally spacing him.”

 

“Not before I tear the quads of the filthy pyjak!” Drack snaps from behind her, growling.

 

“Ryder, don’t murder anyone.” Kandros sighed, his mandibles clacking against his jaw in annoyance. “I can’t cover you if you _murder_ an _initiative leader’s_ aid.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. No murder or you’ll have to go into exile with me.” Viveka drawled out, causing Jaal to look at her in question. Why would Kandros go with her into exile?

 

“I’m not looking forward to the future life of a pirate. Unlike you and your sister I was not exactly a thrill seeker.” Kandros quipped, and a mandible quirked, showing his amusement. “With a few exceptions.”

 

“Yeah, one of those exceptions weren’t well thought out, if I recall.” She griped, watching as Kandros grabbed tipped back some kind of dextro based alcohol. “Enjoy your off time, Tiran. Maybe me and Jaal will catch up to you after I see Nick.”

 

“Be careful.” Kandros said, pointedly flicking his gaze over her shoulder at the Angara. Jaal quirked a brow in question.

 

“I’ll be fine. Thanks.” With that she flicked off the com and waited for the guards to get the relayed orders.

 

“Sooooo….” PeeBee said, popping up beside Viveka with a sly grin. “You and Kandros?”

 

“Old news. No longer going on, Peebs. All yours if you want him.” Ryder said, tapping her foot.

 

“You’d be okay with me fucking your ex?” PeeBee asked and Ryder shrugged.

 

“Kandros was almost ten years ago, Peebs. We’re friends. As long as you’re not doing the dirty where I can see it I don’t particularly care what you two do.” Viveka placed a hand on her hip and looked at PeeBee with a frown.

 

“Soooo, Jaal...” PeeBee purred and Viveka chuckled.

 

“Yes, PeeBee?” Jaal asked innocently, stepping a bit closer to Viveka and letting lose his bioelectrics ever so slightly. Waves of silken electricity seemed to flow over her skin comfortingly and she smiled.

 

“I saw you coming out of Vivi’s room...What were you two up to?”

 

“Jelly Bean was giving me the best hugs ever, and realizing I’ve got amazing legs. That’s what.” Ryder said with a grin.

 

“Inefficient legs. _And_ poorly developed feet. You can’t even grab things with those.” Jaal said with a smile and Liam gasped.

 

“Hey! We have awesome legs! It’s not our fault your legs are backwards and you have hands for feet. Besides, the number of species without hands for feet beats out your hand-feet. Evolution favors us!” Liam said, and Viveka nodded.

 

“Don’t point that out! We have too many against us with the legs!” Viveka hissed, causing PeeBee to laugh.

 

“Well, I’m not complaining! Turian spurs? You can use those to _stand on_ duri--”

 

“ _PeeBee!”_ Cora snapped and Ryder facepalmed.

 

“As lovely as it is to hear about you fantasizing about my species, _don’t.”_ Vetra said, a weird look on her face. “I’m a female of my race—we don’t _do that_ to our men. That was... _weird_ sounding.”

 

“It’s _interesting_ and _fun._ Well, at least I’m not talking about Krogan virility.” PeeBee said, looking at Lexi pointedly.

 

“It’s a relevant topic! And _very_ interesting! Kroga--”

 

“As great as it would be to hear about you talking about Krogan quads, doc, security is open now.” Drack said, walking through.

 

“Hey, Ryder, meet me at the Vortex later, yeah?” Liam said, waving as he took off.

 

Viveka stayed back, watching everyone leave while she steeled herself. “Jaal. It’s going to be alright, right?”

 

“I’m right here with you, dear one.” He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Let us go see your sister.”

 

“Right. If I can get my legs to work.” She said, suddenly feeling fear grip her core.

 

“I could carry you.”

 

“No. No, I got this.” Viveka said, closing her eyes and breathing for a moment. Gathering herself, she grabbed Jaal’s hand and started forward. “Don’t stop. If I stop, you drag me there, Jelly Bean.”

 

“Of course, dear one.”

 

“Flirt.”

 

“You are my dear one. It is a fact not a flirt.” He said, shrugging. “Though if flirting would help….”

 

“Nope. I might punch you out of nervousness. Like, hard. With biotics right now. I feel like I’m going to puke.” Viveka said as they entered the tram and set the course for the cryobay. Jaal pulled her close, and she buried her face into his chest. He was _so tall._ His arms engulfed her in a warm hug while his bioelectrics buzzed around her.

 

“I am here when you need me, Viveka.”

 

“I _know._ Because you’re a _ridiculously_ realistic hallucination my mind conjured up to keep me _sane_.” She muttered her face hidden by his rofjinn.

 

“You keep saying such things and I might start believing I _am_ a figment of your imagination.” He said with a small laugh. “Though, I am not so sure you would have wanted me so tall.”

 

“Nah, I like you all big and goofy.” She said, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him. “You’re like a stabilizing force for me right now just based on how tall you are.” Her small smile had him purring.

 

“That...I am happy.” He said, his one of his hands coming up to play with her hair. The tram pinged and came to a stop and he pressed a hand to her back. “Come, let us see your sister. You will see, she will be fine.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit: 2/19/2019  
> But I wanted to get these two up today! Enjoy!

Her steps echoed in her ears, at first hesitant and slow. Then, before she knew it, she was running. Jaal kept pace, she heard him, she felt him still holding her hand, but that didn’t matter.

 

_Nick._

 

All that mattered was getting to her sister.

 

_Nick._

 

With her reckless running her shoes slipped on the floor, and she stumbled for a moment, but Jaal steadied her as she turned. She didn’t even think about getting out any thank you’s, she couldn’t focus on anything else but her sister right now. She grabbed the door frame and shot forward, skidding to a stop by Nikita Ryder’s still body in the cryobay. She looked the same as before, only her face was _moving._

 

_Nikki!_

 

She was still in a coma.

 

Dr. Carlyle walked up, cautiously, as Jaal fell into place by Viveka. Jaal’s large hand fell onto Viveka’s lower back as the doctor spoke.

 

SAM had made contact with Nick.

 

They could talk to her.

 

But she was still in a coma. Trapped in her body.

 

Viveka was shaken to the core. She dropped to her knees beside her sister, ignoring the painful sting of hitting the hard surface, and she grabbed her sisters hand.

 

“Nick, Nikki, it’s me. It’s Viv. I’m here. Can you hear me?” Viveka blurted out, staring at Nick’s strained face.

 

“Viv? What the fuck? Why can’t I move? Why’s it so fucking cold? And dark?”

 

“You’re kind of in a coma? SAM was able to connect us to your brain. Creepy.” Viveka said, letting out a strained laugh. Nick’s face showed annoyance immediately.

 

“Well, that’s fucking great. Why aren’t you in a god damn coma? We’re suppose to share shit.” Nikita snipped out through SAM, and Viveka smiled.

 

“Yeah, well, first born, first awake. You know how it goes.”

 

“Fucking bullshit. Where’s Alec?”

 

A bit of dread roiled in Viveka’s gut and she hesitated a moment. “Dad’s...dead.” She said honestly.

 

“Called it.” Nick said, but it lacked the amused tone. She did feel some loss for their father, though not as much as Viveka, they both knew that.

 

“Well, he saved my life doing dying?”

 

“Oh, well, then I guess I’ll try to be...sad..ish.” Nick said, humor in her tone. “You know, since he saved you. You’re too important to lose.”

 

“And I’m now finding us stable worlds to live on, because ours didn’t quite work out...He made me Pathfinder.”

 

“What the _fuck,_ why you? Cora’s suppose to do that shit.”

 

“Apparently dad had other plans.”

 

Nick’s medical monitors began beeping rapidly and Harry ran over. “We’ve got to stabilize her!”

 

“FUCKING BASTAR--” That was all she got out before SAM cut the connection and she was injected with sedatives.

 

“Is-is she going to be okay?” Viv asked, rubbing Nick’s hand.

 

“We’ve got her stable, she’s going to be fine, she just needs rest.” Harry said with a sigh, though he smiled a little. “The extra stimulation looks like its speeding her recovery, though. She’s showing signs of waking. Maybe another week...give or take.”

 

“That’s great!” She smiled, kissing Nick’s hand. “If you wake up without me, I’ll come back soon, you hear?”

 

“She’ll have to have some physical therapy after waking.” Harry said, still monitoring her status and jotting down notes on a data pad.

 

“Okay. If you have any trouble, contact me.” Viveka stood then, turning to face a smiling Jaal who opened his arms. She gladly leaped into the hug. “I can’t wait, Jaal! She’s going to be awake when we get back! I’m sure of it!”

 

“Yes, this is _wonderful_ _news_ _,_ dear one.” He said, nuzzling her hair with his flat nose. “I am glad you will have such a protective sister back in your life.” He let her go then, and she pulled away with a smile.

 

“Come on, Jelly Bean, lets meet Kandros and Liam at the Vortex. I think we should celebrate!”

 

“What is...the Vortex?”

 

“Oh, yeah, you don’t know yet.” She grabbed his hand and began leading him off, a grin plastered on her face. “You know what?” She looked back at him a sparkle in her eye. “I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be a surprise!”

 

“A...good surprise?” He asked and she nodded.

 

“We’ll have fun, you’ll see!”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> edit: 2/19/2019

The Vortex was an intoxicating whirl of pheromones, alcohol, and a hypnotic beat the Milky Way aliens seemed to enjoy. Viveka had led him in with a gentle tug of the hand when he hesitated at the door. He followed at her heel, hand securely held in hers while she headed straight for the bar.

 

She made it halfway there before she raised her hand, making some hand signs to Liam, and walking over to a table where the Turian, Kandros, was sitting.

 

“Bringing your new boyfriends to meet me, Viv? I’m disappointed.” Kandros drawled out, leaning back and draping an arm over the back of the booth as she and Jaal sat down.

 

“Oh, hush. Jaal and I are...getting to know each other.” Viveka said, making Jaal beam. “Besides, you can’t handle my terrible life choices.”

 

“That I can’t, Viv. Good luck with her, and _spirits_ get her to use her mouth. Humans are good at that.”

 

“ _Tiran!”_

 

“What? You were.” Kandros said, tilting his head back and downing his bottle.

 

Viveka frowned at the Turian as Liam walked up, dropping in a chair with them. “Yo! Brought gifts!” Liam announced as he set down a tray of drinks.

 

Viveka quickly grabbed two drinks, handing one to Jaal with a smile. “Thanks, Liam.” She said, turning back to the darker skinned human. Jaal took a small sniff of the drink in his hand and sipped it experimentally. Deciding it was decent, he nodded his approval.

 

“ _So_ , Tiran, why are you getting wasted?” Viveka asked and Kandros gave a small huff. He knew she was trying to change the subject.

 

“Maybe because my ex-girlfriend has a new alien boyfriend?” He said snidely, and Jaal stiffened for a second.

 

“No, I’ve had boyfriends before.” Viveka said, bumping her leg against Jaal’s and he relaxed. “Besides, we aren’t exactly together...like I said, we’re getting to know each other.” Jaal let out a soft purr next to her. He was honestly happy she wasn’t plunging in head first. It was a mistake he made before, one he didn’t care to make with her.

 

“Damn, so I can’t play the hung up ex?” The subharmonics in his voice rang with disappointment, causing Viveka to laugh. Jaal smiled at the sound of her laughter and squeezed her hand lightly.

 

“No, Jelly Bean’s too sweet to play games with.” She said, her eyes dancing with joy. “He’s too honest about everything.”

 

“Well, that’s no fun. I wanted to talk about how good you were in bed.” Kandros griped, and Liam nearly dropped his drink.

 

“And as much as he’d genuinely enjoy the conversation, no. Please don’t.” Viveka said, rolling her eyes as she took a swig of her drink.

 

“Yes, it would be a very enjoyable and _interesting_ topic. However, I know it makes Viveka uncomfortable when I talk about intercourse.” Jaal said, amused. “She blushes very prettily.”

 

“Woah. Wait.” Liam suddenly spoke up, slamming his hands on the table. “You two, and now you two, and no one is going to have problems?” He asks, pointing and looking confused.

 

“Liam, Kandros and I dated when we were teenagers. At most he’d probably have some casual sex with me now, but he certainly wouldn’t settle down with me.” Viveka said, pointedly patting Kandros’ mandible. He gave a soft growl. “We have too much history, and we would clash too much on a personal level.”

 

“I wouldn’t like having a partner who attracts danger. Things explode around you, Viv. Sometimes literally.” Kandros said, rolling his eyes.

 

“Jelly Bean, on the other hand, is...well he’s _Jaal,_ Liam. Did you expect him to punch Kandros for being protective of me or complimenting my past...uh...activities...” She blushed, causing Liam and Jaal to laugh outright and Kandros to chuckle.

 

“Just catch up, Viv?” Kandros asked, leaning on the table and raising a brow plate at her. “I’m impressed you made it this long without going red.”

 

Viveka groaned and just let herself fall onto Jaal’s shoulder. “See, Jelly Bean, see how mean this Turian is?”

 

“I see no benefit to stop your blushes, Viveka. I like to see you like this.” Jaal says, and she grins up at him.

 

Liam made a strangled noise. “I don’t know how this happened. When did this happen?” He points at Jaal, annoyed. “Why didn’t you tell me this was happening?”

 

“What?” Jaal asked, confused.

 

“Liam’s sad you didn’t confide in him about me and you. You’re basically his new best friend.” Viveka said, waving a hand at Liam as she spoke.

 

“Oh. But I thought everyone knew? PeeBee knew. Vetra knew. Drack knew before _I_ knew.” Jaal confessed, taking a sip of his drink.

 

Viveka sat up, a confused look on her face. “Wait, exactly how long—never mind I don’t want to know how clueless I’ve been. I’m good.” She said, punching Kandros when he laughed. “Shut up, metal butt.”

 

“As soon as you stop being such a ditz, squishy cheeks.” Tiran said, grabbing his next bottle.

 

“Did he just call you _squishy cheeks_?” Liam asked, laughing. “Is that a reference to your ass or actual cheeks.”

 

“Ass, you humans have the best--”

 

“ _REALLY, TIRAN?”_ Ryder cut him off, face aflame.

 

“Best _what,_ Viveka?” Jaal asked innocently. She turned to him with a glare.

 

“Don’t pull clueless alien on me now, Jelly Bean.” She said, elbowing him in the side. He chuckled.

 

“But, _Viveka...”_ He said, rolling out her name in an unnecessarily drawn out way, bringing his lips close to her ear. “I want to _know.”_ Her blush was radiant, and she covered her face with her hands.

 

“Jaal! I _knew_ you were doing that on purpose!”

 

Liam and Kandros looked at them, amused. “What? Is he doing?” Liam asked and Kandros grinned.

 

“I have a guess...but I want to see. Jaal, do the thing again.” Kandros said, and Jaal’s grin was _wicked_ when Ryder looked at him.

 

“No. Jaal!” She was grinning as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her flush against his side.

 

“ _Viv-e-ka.”_ He purred out into her ear and she froze.

 

“I’m going to murder all of you.” She squeaked out, ducking under his rofjinn. Jaal laughed heartily.

 

“Dear one, you are adorable. Come out and finish your drink, I will not tease you...while we’re here.”

 

“But Liam and Kandros will!”

 

“Damn right I’m going to tease you, you’re acting like a virgin!” Liam choked out between laughs and Kandros chuckled.

 

“I rarely get down time when you’re around, Viv, give me a break. Besides, you don’t blush for me anymore. You got too use to my voice too fast.” Kandros added, tipping his bottle at Jaal. “Don’t abuse the power, it’s limited.”

 

Viveka peeked out from the rofjinn and glared, which wasn’t saying much with her tiny stature it was like looking at a kitten who was ready to attack.

 

Jaal’s hand dropped onto her head and she looked up at him. He smiled warmly at her.

 

“You make me happy.” He said simply. And that, in turn, made her happy. She smiled with a small blush, and conversations picked up. As time went by, more of the Tempest crew filtered in and gathered.

 

Peebee had hopped right over the table, placing herself between Tiran and Viveka when she arrived, not to anyone’s surprise, but Kandros’s. Cora, on the other hand, surprised everyone by sitting on his opposite side and offering him a special—and expensive—filtered wine safe for dextro and levo species.

 

Gil pulled Liam away with Vetra and started a betting pool on how many drinks Drack could down, or, would down before he got kicked out. Kallo and Suvi sat across from Jaal, though they didn’t drink alcohol, instead going for some tea and some strange green liquid for Kallo.

 

Jaal and Viveka watched everyone with a smile.

 

PeeBee was practically in Kandros’s lap, laughing about something while Cora actually held his attention with conversation. It seemed, between the two, Kandros actually enjoyed Cora’s company better. PeeBee didn’t mind, though. And, oddly, it seemed Cora realized that PeeBee had backed off a bit.

  


“I’ve always wondered about Turian Military. Asari Commando Units tended to focus on just exploiting weaknesses of each culture, not in depth teachings on how each worked. It wasn’t until much later I learned that your people tended to enlist in their teens.” Cora said, drawing the Turian into topics both of them enjoyed immensely. It was unsurprising to Viveka when he gave Cora a detailed talk of the subject, happily sharing a piece of his culture. Jaal also threw in his own questions, now and then, while PeeBee nodded knowingly at answers.

 

Drack, hours later, was no where near drunk.

 

Gil, Liam, and Vetra were making a fortune off of random bar patreons.

 

Suvi and Kallo were gossiping about Cora and Kandros in a different booth by now, quietly exchanging nods with each other and throwing looks over at the two.

  


PeeBee was dancing happily with a turian-human couple, her arms draped around the human’s waist, and her hips grinding into the Turian behind her. Things were looking up as far as PeeBee getting laid, at least.

 

And Viveka was finally feeling the alcohol.

 

Viveka giggled as she reached up and rubbed at his cowl. “You’re always so soft here.” She said, half mumbling her words out and Jaal chuckled.

 

“You are intoxicated.”

 

“And _you_ are _pretty.”_ She countered, grinning. “I’m glad you like me. You’re, like, sweet and nice and...stuff.” She scrunched up her nose trying to think. “Yup. I’m pretty sure I need to head back.”

 

“Come, dear one.” He said, standing and helping her to her feet. He smiled as she wobbled a bit. “You are such a silly thing.”

 

“Mmm…Silly is fun.” She said, stumbling as they walked up the steps. He chuckled as he lifted her up into his arms. “Ohhh Angara ride! Onward!”

 

“You need sleep.” He chortled out, kissing her temple. She giggled.

 

“Nevah!” She said, scaring him when she draped herself dramatically backward almost upside down. “Weee!”

 

“Viveka!” He lifted her back up and shifted her around to face him, securing her legs under one arm and holding her close with the other while she clung to his shoulders. “You are going to get hurt if you keep moving around like a wild adhi.”

 

“Mmm...” She snuggled her face into his cowl and he blushed slightly. “Jelly Bean, you’re the best. And you’re my favorite. Like. Ever.”

 

“Dear one, you are drunk. We have to get you to bed.”

 

“Noooo because then you’ll leave and I’ll be lonely.” She whined, and he rumbled out a purr.

 

“Viveka, I can not accept an invitation into your bed while you are drunk.” He said, entering the Tempest and she pouted.

 

“Just for snuggles, I promise!” She said, and he sighed, entering her quarters.

 

“You are too important to me, dear one.” He said, setting her down on her bed and removing her shoes for her.

 

She raised her arms up for a hug and he gladly fell into them, threading his fingers into her hair and pressing in close. “Jelly Bean, please stay. Til I fall asleep.”

 

“I...” He paused and looked down at her his cowl flushed. “Only until then.”

 

She smiled and turned, crawling up the bed and getting under the covers. He smiled and pounced, causing her to squeal in delight as he wrapped his arms around her. Grabbing the blankets with his feet, he tossed them up and over them causing her to giggle. He smiled as she curled against him, threading her legs between his and burying her face up against his shirt, under his rofjiin.

 

Her hands drifted around his waist and he rubbed her back with his own. She was so small.

 

She trusted him. And he was scared. Because he wanted to touch. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, as if to shield her from his own thoughts.

 

_Forgive me for even thinking such things._

 

The emotional Angara waited until she was asleep and carefully pulled away with teary eyes.

 

_I am terrible._

 

He felt ashamed. So ashamed for wishing to touch her while she’d been so vulnerable to him. She trusted him. He loved her. Guilt flowed through him and fled her room with tears in his eyes. He’d never-ever-thought of touching another at such an inappropriate time. He would never actually do so, especially not to Viveka. She was his dear one, the keeper of his heart.  
  
He dropped into his cot that night as tears fell silently.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mild nsfw warning
> 
> edit done 2/19/2019

Waking up with a hang over was never fun, luckily Lexi had everyone covered. Water, pills, and a heavy dose of some strange asari hangover cure—that actually worked—but Viveka nearly gagged taking.

 

She didn’t ask what was in it and never wanted to know.

 

She had SAM tell Kallo to set course to Havarl and decided not to make the usual rounds. Some people were still asleep, or had decided against trying the hangover cure, it was better not to disturb them. The one individual Viveka did want to see was Jaal.

 

And so, she went to him immediately.

 

When the Tech Lab opened her eyes caught him immediately. He was hunched over his work bench, tinkering with his biotool with a worried look in his eyes. His mouth was drawn in a frown, his forehead creased, and he hadn’t noticed her enter at all!

 

“Hey, Jelly Bean.” She said softly, and he _jumped._

 

“Viveka! You are awake!” He said, flustered and flushed. He set his tools down and he fidgeted. “I...”

 

She walked up to him as he hesitated, his eyes shifting anywhere but her. “Jelly Bean, you okay?”

 

“No...I.” He was hesitating again and he sighed. “You were—you drank too much last night, dear one. Invited me into your bed.”

 

“Yes, I remember quite a bit of that.” She said with a smile. “And you proved I could trust you just like I thought I could.”

 

“ _No_. No, I thought...many things. I _wanted_ you. I...” He teared up and covered his face. “I am _bad.”_

 

Viveka stood there a moment, taking in what he said. He’d wanted to, but he _didn’t._

 

He didn’t do _anything_ wrong.

 

She reached up and grabbed his hands, pulling them down and looking at him sternly. “You did nothing wrong. You’re not bad. Don’t talk about yourself like that.” She scolded and yanked him forward, causing him to stumble and grab her for support. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You’re _attracted_ to me, Jaal, we were in my room, in my _bed,_ and we’d been _drinking_. You’ve probably had some rather sexual thoughts about me already before that, considering the under suit situation.” She soothingly ran her hand up and down his back. “I can’t say I haven’t had them about you. You didn’t act on them, that matters. That what makes the difference.”

 

Jaal wrapped his arms around her tight. “I have not yearned for someone like I do you, Viveka. When I’m with you, my heart sings.”

 

“Jelly Bean...you’re something else.” She murmured, pulling away and bringing her hands to his cheeks, bringing him close. “I’m going to kiss you, you big cry baby.”

 

His eyes went wide as she pressed her lips to his. He melted into her immediately, his eyes fluttering shut and innocently kissing her back. Her tongue surprised him as it swiped across his lips and he opened his mouth, granting her access. Their tongues danced, chasing each other as the kiss deepened. He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer to him as he tasted her mouth.

  


He was drowning in her scent, her taste, everything. And when her hands moved to the back of his cowl, he couldn’t help but hook an arm under her thighs and lift her up.

 

She felt her self be lifted up, and vaguely heard the clatter of tools before she was set down on the work bench, a strong arm moving from her thighs to her waist. Her legs came up and locked themselves around Jaal’s waist, pulling him close and he gasped against her mouth.

  


The sound of his gasp snapped her out of the moment, and she immediately dropped her legs with a deep blush. Her hands moved, placing themselves on his shoulders as he pulled away, clearing his throat.

 

_What am I doing!?_

 

“Well.” She said, a giggle coming out of her. “That got intense.”

 

His hands planted themselves on either side of her and his forehead dropped onto hers. “ _Temptress.”_ He murmured and chuckled. “It was...very enjoyable.”

 

“I think _you’re_ the tempting one here, with your words and the picking me up with one arm thing.” She said, giving him a quick peck on the nose.

 

“ _Skkut,_ Dear One, you are _not_ helping.” He groaned and she smiled.

 

“Just think about Drack naked.”

 

“...Viveka _why_ would you put such an image in my head. _Skkut._ That--” He wrinkled his nosed in distaste and she laughed.

 

“Remember, he’s lost a couple quads!”

 

“ _Viveka!”_


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fun filler chapter 
> 
> Edit done: 2/19/2019

Jaal jumped as Viveka suddenly flew by the Tech Lab, nearly running into him, a smudge of..something on her face. “Hi! Bye!” She said and quickly made a dash to the cargo bay. However, it was more startling when Drack came barreling after her.

 

“I’m going to string you up by your _toes,_ kid!”

 

“It was _chocolate_! You can’t keep _chocolate_ here and not expect someone to take it!!!”

 

“I’m going to beat some damn manners into ya!”

 

“Not if you can’t catch me, Gramps!”

 

Suddenly, Ryder came running back with a laugh, winking at Jaal before jumping down to the lower levels and into her quarters, locking them.

 

“SAFE!” He heard her triumphant, muffled, yell. Then a thud.

 

Drack came out of her room, carrying Ryder over his shoulder. “God damn kid, think I didn’t know where you were going to go?”

 

“Let me go! It was just chocolate! Jelly Bean! Save me! It wasn’t even enough for a Krogan!”

 

“Viveka, you _stole_ from _Drack.”_ Jaal said, disapproval in his voice. She crossed her arms and pouted.

 

“If you could taste the deliciousness in chocolate you’d know why!” A mischievous glint entered her eye. “Besides, chocolate side effects are beneficial for couples!” She yelled out just before she was out of sight. He quirked a brow and jumped down a level, following Drack.

 

“Don’t listen to her, kid, the fun effects don’t kick in unless they’ve had way too much.”

 

“What kind of...effects.”

 

Viveka grinned. “Oh, you’d be getting a lot more than kis--” She was interrupted as Drack threw her onto a sparring mat and charged her. She yelped and rolled away.

 

“Stop teasing the pyjak, kid, I was saving that shit!” Drack yelled, charging again.

 

“Oh, _fuck!”_ Viveka said, jumping up and vaulting over Drack. “Well, this has been fun, bye!”

 

And off she went back to her room, this time successfully escaping. Drack growled and yelled at the door for three hours, and Jaal decided it would probably be best to stay in the Tech lab for the rest of the day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edit done 2/19/2019

_They’ve breached the dig site._

 

_Gunfire. Fuck, fuck!_

 

_The sound of metal scraping against metal._

 

_An agonized scream. Oh, god! No, no! This isn’t happening._

 

_Metallic sounds whirling in the air, the click of reloading guns._

 

_More gunfire. Please, no._

 

_A pulsing sensation, a piercing sound that penetrated the skull. No!_

 

_Deep, slow breaths. Don’t make a sound._

 

_Move._

 

_Hide._

 

_Have to run. Distress beacon activated._

 

_Run. Run. Run. Hide. No more. Not again!_

 

Viveka shot up, breathing heavily and clutching her head. The sound, _that sound._ It wasn’t something you could forget. Tears leaked from her eyes as she dropped her head to her knee and her hands to her sides.

 

**SAM: Viv, your heart rate is elevated above normal perimeters. Would you like me to contact Lexi?**

 

She didn’t answer, shaking her head and gripping her sides tight as a choked sob tore itself from her lips.

 

**SAM:...Would you like assistance from Jaal?**

 

She suddenly gripped her head.

  


_The sound tore through her skull, stabbing her temples with its screeching._

 

**SAM: ...** **Contacting Jaal.**

 

_Gunfire. Metal scraping against metal. Pulses echoing through the air. A scream._

 

 

\----------

 

 

**SAM: Mr. Ama Darav.**

 

Jaal jumped, almost dropping his tools. “Yes?” He asked, flustered.

 

**SAM: The Pathfinder requires your assistance in a personal matter.**

 

Jaal blinked. “A personal matter? Where is Viveka?”

 

**SAM: The Pathfinder is currently in her quarters, Mr. Ama Darav. She is distressed. She currently has an elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, and non-responsive to my questions.**

 

Jaal was already out his door, heedless of his shirtless state of dress. He dropped down to from the pathway to the lower levels and headed directly to her room quickly. When the doors opened he found her immediately, both knees up arms wrapped around them and face hidden. She was _shaking._

 

When a sob reached his ears he ran to her, his arms immediately around her.

 

“Dear one, it is okay.” He murmured out. She buried her face into his cowl and her legs dropped down. Her arms curled under his and her hands rested on his shoulder blades.

 

Gently, he shifted them so he could lay them both down, comfortably rubbing her back. “Taoshay, it was only a dream, it is okay.”

 

She shook her head, another sob wracking through her. “I-It wasn’t. It’s _not_.” She choked out and she curled in closer to him.

 

“Do you wish to talk about it?” He asked, and she shook her head.

 

“No. Never again. I never want—those things. Those horrible things.” She choked on her words, readjusting her grip on him desperately. “Never again. _Never again.”_

 

His heart broke for her as she clung to those words like a prayer. What had happened? What was so horrible that she could take on the Kett with such grace and _break_ like this _?_

 

“Dearest, I am here. You are safe.”

 

“No, no. They could come. They could find out about the Remnant. They-they. No. Never again. Never again. They won’t follow. They won’t. They _can’t_.” Viveka became increasingly terrified, her eyes wide and her breathing uneven.

 

“Viveka. Look at me.”

 

_Metal scraping against metal. The tearing sound of flesh, the breaking of bone. An agonized scream._

  


She didn’t, Her eyes were glossed over, her hands clenched into fists on his back. “ _Dragons teeth_. No, no. Not here. _Not here._ ”

 

Jaal grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. When she didn’t respond he sent worried pulses of bioelectricity over her skin. She seemed to relax slightly before blinking. “J-Jaal. Jelly Bean.”

 

“There you are.” He said, his eyes drifting over her face in worry. “You were panicking.”

 

“I--” She paused. “Trauma. Something happened...during a job.” She said, her voice wavering and her face crumbling as tears fell. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Darling one, why are you apologizing?”

 

“Because you’re having to deal with me and my mess.” She croaked out, closing her eyes with a pained expression. “I’m sorry Sam called you, you were probably sleeping. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

 

Lips gently pressed to hers and her eyes popped open in surprise. “You are no burden, Viveka. It is a privilege to help my darling one. Do not feel sorry for this, I want to be here. I want to be here for you, helping you.”

 

She smiled a shaky smile and buried her face in his cowl. “Stay with me tonight?”

 

“Of course.” He said, pulling a pillow under his head. “I shall chase all your nightmares away.”

 

She snorted out a small laugh. “You’re cute.”

 

“I happen to be rather handsome and dashing!” He countered with mock indignation.

 

“You’re a giant purple people eater.”

 

“I’m neither a giant nor do I _eat people.”_ He said with a huff and Viveka laughed.

 

“You _are_ a giant, and...well, we’ll see about that one later.”

 

He choked. “Did you—Viveka you are _naughty.”_

 

“Shhh, don’t tell you that. You might get ideas.”

 

Jaal groaned. “Now I won’t _not_ have them. _Stars,_ Viveka.”

 

“Drack naked. With Lexi.”

 

“...You are _disgusting.”_

 

“ _What?_ Asari breed with Krogan. And now you won't have naughty thoughts.”

 

“ _How?_ And I will, later. Alone.”

 

“I can have Lexi send you the Krogan virilit--”

 

“ _No. Skutting stars,_ no.” Jaal said, unamused, while she laughed at his discomfort.

 

"So how are them naughty thoughts going?"

 

"I will refrain from answering that. I fear what horrors you might unleash upon me should I think about such things."

 

"Lik _e-"_ She was interrupted when Jaal flipped her on her back and began tickling her sides, causing her to squeal and try to get away. Laughter rang through the room and all fears forgotten in the moment.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> edit: 2/19/2019

They were so much closer now.

 

After her nightmare, Jaal had taken to a new night time routine of coming to her and giving her a single kiss good night. Often, he would bring tea for them both and they would share a gentle moment of talking and being close on her couch. He enjoyed her questions, and asked her many of his own. Still, she was shy about being so close to him, unsure of herself. This was fine, and more than that, it was good. He certainly didn’t want her to jump into something unsure of where her feelings stood.

 

Sometimes it was hard to leave after their kiss, as their hands would roam or they would end up somehow pressed up against each other. Sometimes, though, it was a simple sweet kiss that left her looking at him with the smallest of blushes and the biggest of smiles. Those were his favorite times.

 

It showed much more than their frenzied lust filled kissing. It showed him she was enjoying his affection, just as much as he enjoyed hers.

 

She still was not his, however, and that he knew.

 

She was worried about making sure their races got allied first. Worried about her own confused feelings. Worried about many things that he couldn’t quite understand, and others he could.

 

This was perfectly reasonable, and responsible. He understood this completely, but it hurt his heart a bit, wondering if she felt this as strongly as he did. His heart sang for her, his body yearned for her, his soul cried out for her, everything he was was desperately reaching out to her. She seemed so...confused. Not so much unaffected, she definitely held affection and trust for him, but it wasn’t...quite the same as love. He could wait. She was worth the wait.

 

PeeBee told him humans were emotionally dulled. Drack, however, told him something different. They had this innate ability to read emotions through body language on almost anything—even animals. This led to a change in themselves, hiding their own emotions. Unlike other species, humans could become very deceptive very quickly. However, they also had very complex emotions that confused even themselves. Unlike Krogan, who understood their very simplistic urges, humans had in-between emotions that blended together and confused them.

 

They could even love and hate someone at the same time, he had said.

 

That baffled Jaal on many levels. How could one love and hate someone? Did Viveka hate him on some level?

 

She certainly didn’t seem to.

 

\-----------

 

Evfra sighed, rubbing his forehead. It had taken him the better portion of a week to read the entirety of Jaal’s very heavily detailed reports. He hadn’t needed to know how much ammo was used, or who killed how many Kett. He hadn’t needed to know half of what was put in these reports!

 

He found out some things, however.

 

This Krogan, Drack, was fearsome on the field and a great ally to be had. Jaal was a better shot than he had thought he was. The Pathfinder was a fledgling warrior with natural skill and leadership abilities that may actually be worth something. Biotics were terrifying, changing the mass of things on a molecular level at the users will.

 

Jaal was also _incredibly_ close to bedding the alien.

 

He sighed again, resting a cheek and a fist. Jaal was foolish, however, it would get him intel he probably wouldn’t get otherwise. Sleeping with the enemy would lower her guard.

 

He would likely lose Jaal over this, though, if it didn’t play out well. He snorted, annoyed. Jaal was emotional even by Angara standards. When he became attached to someone, it was clingy and stubborn. It was the only reason they were still friends—Jaal’s stubborn attachment to him.

 

Jaal was a damned fool.

  


\----------

 

“Of all the stupid...” Cora sighs and rolls her eyes. She really couldn’t believe that this was happening. Why the hell would they even do this?

 

“We’ve got the betting pool going over here! Place your bets, people!” Gil shouts, holding a data pad and waving it.

 

“Please don’t break anything.” Kallo’s voice calls over the com system.

 

“Vivi! You got this!” PeeBee shouts, sitting next to the research terminal.

 

“Me and Drack have the mats placed down now!” Vetra’s voice calls from the lower level, where they had placed the sparing mats in the hall below.

 

Jaal chuckled, crossing his arms.

 

Aliens were strange delightful creatures, particularly humans. Leave them alone long enough and they get stir crazy and begin inventing games. This particular one was...well.

 

A little stupid, to be honest.

 

He watched as Liam pulled off his shoes, and Viveka wiggle her toes in her very fluffy very pink socks. He’d never seen these socks before, they were...adorable on her.

  


“My vote is on the Pathfinder.” Cora said suddenly, grabbing the data pad from Gil and typing in her bet discreetly.

 

“If anyone hurts themselves, I am personally removing them from the next mission.” Lexi says, crossing her arms.

 

“Okay, mom!” Liam says, jogging in place. “I’m so going to win this.”

 

“As if! _I’m_ the one with the amazing legs!” Viveka said, grinning.

 

“Even your alien boyfriend doesn’t agree with you!” Liam shoots back and she snorts.

 

“PeeBee agrees! PeeBee loves my legs, don’t you Peebs?”

 

“ _Hell yeah_ I do!” PeeBee shouts, winking. “They’d look better with me between them, though!”

 

“Take that up with Jaal, I think he’ll fight you for that one!” Liam says and laughs as Viveka sputters.

 

“Hey! Relationship gossip is not allowed!” Viveka’s embarrassment just causes laughter from several crew members. Jaal just grins. She’d stopped denying he was her boyfriend, but had made it clear to him she still wanted to test the waters, as it were, before they really became official.

 

“My votes on Liam.” Vetra says as she gets to the upper levels with Drack. Drack grunts.

 

“Kid’s gonna win. Slippery shit.”

 

Vetra steps forward. “Okay, no using any powers. You’re only running on pure muscle power here. Slip off and you lose. No pushing. You can use the walls if you fall off the sides, to get back on the bridge, but only if you don’t hit the floor below first.”

 

“Got it.” “Roger dodger!”

 

Vetra stepped back, away from the glass bridge and her mandibles opened wide. “GO!”

 

Liam took off running, slipping half way and falling on his ass. Viveka, however, took long graceful strides, doing a graceful ballet leap over him, and landed, sliding backwards on one foot all the way to the end. Almost as if she had been ice skating. She winked at Liam.

 

Several crew members groaned about losing their credits, while Viveka turned and skipped over to PeeBee, giving her a hug.

 

“It’s all thanks to Peebs and her dedication to my _amazing legs!”_ Viveka said and PeeBee grinned, reaching around and grabbing Viveka’s butt.

 

“Hell yeah!”

 

Viveka jumped away laughing with a blush on her face before Jaal came up and lifted her up from behind, his face in a pout.

 

Several crew members began ribbing Jaal about being jealous, causing him to flush blue in the cowl. Viveka just laughed and was content to stay hefted up in his arms, were he protectively held her high up against his chest. He had an arm curled under her legs, and another up around her chest, giving her a place to sit and a place to rest her arms all at once.

 

“Well, I think you’re all just jealous because I have an _Angara throne_.” Viveka said eventually, crossing her legs and draping herself back against Jaal. “Go, Jelly Bean! It is lunch time and your Queen needs feeding!”

 

“ _Indeed_! We must feed the Queen! Come, our Queen is small enough as is, I fear she may disappear if she does not eat!” Jaal says to the crew, and Liam laughs.

 

“Did you just call Viv too skinny or too short?”

 

“She is skinny _and_ short!” Jaal says, earning him a bop on the head from Viveka.

 

“Silence, throne! Such blasphemy! Some of us didn’t need much growing to reach perfection!”

 

“Or yours quit halfway knowing you were a lost cause.” Cora chipped in.

 

“Fools! _Silence!_ The Queen will not stand for such talks!” Viveka says, kicking her legs, flailing her arms up into the air in her false anger.

 

Everyone laughed and began walking to the mess, Jaal still carrying Viveka the entire way.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> edit: 2/19/2019

Havarl was a wonder. It was beautiful. And, to Jaal, it was home. When they departed the Tempest, the first time leaving the sterile environment in almost a week, he took a deep breath of the air, thick with humidity and the scents of flora. He turned to warn the others of the hostile plant life, but paused.

 

Viveka was staring with a sparkle in her eyes he hadn't seen before. Her cheeks were slightly flushed pink, giving her a more youthful look. Her eyes were shining with joy and wonder, drawing him in like ocean waves. Her hair highlighted by Havarl’s sun as it danced in the breeze, blue highlights glittering in the light. Her hand was pressed to her chest, and he watched as her eyes fluttered closed, as she _basked_ in the place he called home, the delicate lashes that were not present on his species seemed to just make her more beautiful to him. She was taking in the perfumed air, just as he did, and when her eyes opened, sparkling with amazement and wonder he couldn't help but smile fondly at her. 

 

She was radiant, his darling one. Beautiful in so many ways. When she smiled widely at him, he almost forgot where he was, and what he was suppose to be doing. A disgruntled growl from the Turian with them brought him out of his daze, turning to look at her.

 

Vetra was next to him, looking around, guarded. She was right to be. He cleared his throat with some trouble, staring at his beloved looking so happy was distracting.

 

“Havarl is as beautiful as it is _dangerous._ The trees here have sap that will burn the skin, the vines grow at a wild rate and often destroy machinery. We must be cautious of the wild life, as well. Almost every wild creature here is aggressive, dangerous. And the Roekaar have a presence here, they hate aliens. That...means _you_.” Jaal said with a small chuckle.

 

“Well, that means I should definitely put on my helm.” Viveka said with a grumble, pulling on her helmet and connecting her oxygen hoses. “So, tell me about this Roekaar?”

 

“Angara hate group who will shoot you.” He shrugged. “They do not speak to aliens, hate aliens, and anyone that associates with aliens. Terrorists. They are led by Akksul, who is, as you would put it, a dick.”

 

Vetra snorted out a laugh. “A _dick_ , huh?” She asked, her subvocals echoing her amusement.

 

“He is... unkind. He had been different, before the Kett, but when they took him... _tortured_ him...he changed. Became dark. His hatred has _consumed_ him.” Jaal explained, eyes cast down. "He was...very young."

 

Viveka frowned. “Is...there no way we can negotiate with them peacefully? Talk to Akksul?”

 

“You are...kind, dear one, but...Roekaar do not _talk_ to aliens.”

 

“We have to _try_.”

 

\------------

 

_Dark. It’s too damn dark. I have to fucking get the fuck out of here._

 

_My neck fucking hurts. Everything hurts.  
_

 

_I have fucking to get out._

 

_I have to get out of here before...no. Don’t fucking think about that shit, don’t be a pussy._

 

_Breathe, damn it. Remember your training._

 

_When your backs against the wall, use it. That doesn’t_ _fucking_ _work here, Alec, you fuck_ _ing asshole_ _._

 

_Fucking shit._

 

_Fucking shit._

 

_Fucking Batarian mother fuckers. I’m going to kill them all when I get out of here. Fucking shit._

 

_A clicking sound echoes in the dark._

 

_NO! Don’t open the cage! Don’t touch me, please! Please not again!_

_"DON'T TOUCH ME!"_

 

“ _Hey, it’s alright, I’m getting you out of here.”_

 

\--------------

 

 

“Vetra, take Liam and Cora and investigate the ‘spiky aliens’. Sounds like Turians to me. Be safe, just in case. Com frequency 3.215. Send Peebs to come join up with me and Jaal. We’ll be checking in with the science team that got frozen or whatever. Tell Drack, I need him butchering plant and other crazy wild life that try to get to the ship. He may need to get stims from Lexi, apparently the wildlife grows like crazy fast and attacks engines and stuff.” Viveka said, completely dropping her professional speech side to set assignments.

 

“We need everyone on guard, Vetra I need you to co-op with Cora in leading. You know how Liam can get. Let Cora take point, make sure Liam always stays mid-range to minimize his recklessness.” Viveka added, bringing up her omnitool and interfacing with Vetra’s. “Navpoints sent. When assignments are done, check in with me. We may have more to do by then, and may need to switch out team members.”

 

“Yes, Pathfinder.” Vetra said, giving a quick nod. “Heading out to secure the team.”

 

“Jaal and I will hold our position until you and the others return.”

 

\-------------

 

_Blue eyes. A hand open to her. Tears streaming down her face as she recognized Castis’s armor._

  


_“_ _I’m getting you out of here.” He repeats and she takes his hand with a sob._

  


Blue eyes popped open and coral lips curled to bare teeth in anger. With a grunt, Nikita Ryder struggled to pull herself into a sitting position and glare at Harry Carlyle who came rushing to her side in a panic.

 

“Where the _fuck_ is Viveka?”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2/19/2019 last edit of the day.

Viveka pressed her back to Jaal, her annihilation field picking up a wraith for him to immediately pick off before she threw out a singularity at a couple Kett. The Kett floated in the air around the dense mass as it built up, flailing helplessly as the miniature black hole began crushing them as they got closer. One was pulled in completely, head first. The other screamed as the singularity tore off an arm, crushing it and tearing it from the Kett’s shoulder. Blood floated in the air in black-blue clumps before they too were sucked in. Soon, the Kett was fully crushed in the singularity and it dissipated.

  


Jaal growled, charging off with his bioelectricity crackling just before he flickered from view, his tactical cloak engaged. When he reappeared his blade, sparking white and blue with electrical surges, was already impaling the skull of a sniper who’d tried to hide in the brush.

  


PeeBee tackled the last of the Kett to the ground, wrestling away a shotgun and turning it on it’s owner, splattering dark blue blood all around from the point blank shot.  
  
It’s entire skull had been obliterated.

 

“Clear!” PeeBee shouted and Viveka let out a sigh of relief.

 

**SAM(Ground team): Pathfinder, you have an urgent** **call coming in** **from the Nexus. You will want to answer.**

 

“Um, okay. Jaal, we need a safe place for a few minutes.”

 

Jaal nodded, gesturing with his hand to follow and they found their way to a small tunnel hidden by some of the dangerous sap covered trees. He led them around into the cave safely, PeeBee skipping behind them. Once inside the cave, Viveka brought up her omnitool.

 

“Okay, Sam, patch them through.”

  


**SAM(Ground Team): At once, Pathfinder.**

 

A screen popped up on her omnitool, and Nikita’s face appeared, red and angry. “Viveka Sara Ryder!”

 

“Nick! Oh, Nikki! You’re awake! Are you feeling okay?” Viveka asked, pushing up the glass of her helm with a smile. Jaal peeked over her shoulder at her sister and PeeBee popped up in front of her.

 

“That’s your sister? She looks mad!” PeeBee said and Viveka pushed her down.

 

“Peebs, not the time!”

 

“Viveka! They’re saying you’re on some fucking planet _fighting some fucking aliens,_ with _some other aliens we know nothing about! Are you fucking insane?!”_ Nick yelled, the video shaking as she shouted at the terminal.

 

“I’m forming an alliance with the Angara, Jaal’s one. Say hi, Jelly Bean!” Viveka said, pointing the omnitool to Jaal.

 

“Hello, dear one’s sister! It is very good you have woken!” Jaal said, all smiles. “We are killing Kett!”

 

Viveka brought the omnitool back to herself and laughed. “Jelly Bean’s race is very honest. I don’t think he can lie.”

 

“I would cry if I were to lie to you, my dearest! It would hurt you!” He said with a frown.

 

Nick made a strangled sound. “ _Dear one?! Dearest?! Are you fucking kidding me?!”_

 

“Oh. Uh. Jaal _really_ likes me.” Viveka said, blushing.

 

“He wants to bang Vivi! Hard! I want to _too_ , but she won’t _let me!”_ PeeBee said, popping into view. “HI! I’m PeeBee!”

 

“Oh, Jesus, Peebs! Jaal and I aren’t even doing that yet!”

  


“Well, why the hell not?! You’re both fuckable to the extreme!”

 

“I _adore_ Viveka! I do not simply want to have _intercourse,_ PeeBee!” Jaal said, offended.

 

Nikita’s garbled sounds of rage made Viveka wince. “Nick, calm down! Jaal has been a gentleman! I swear!”

 

“I’m going to _murder_ _them both!_ _”_

 

“ _Nick,_ calm down! Okay, um, look. We’ll talk when I get back, okay? You can meet Jaal. For now, I need to get back to my mission. Gotta make sure we get shit done.” Viveka said, and grinned. “Okay everyone get in here and say bye!”

 

Jaal and PeeBee jumped in and grinned. “Stay strong and clear, sister!” Jaal booms, and PeeBee laughs.

 

“Stay hot and steamy!” PeeBee said, winking. Viveka facepalmed as Niketa screamed.

 

" _Are you fucking kidding me?!"_

 

“I love you, Nick! Do what Harry says and get your physical therapy started! I’ll be back as soon as possible!” Viveka says, turning off the comm system before Nick could put in her two cents about her being on a mission.

 

After she cut off the comm, she hooked her arm over PeeBee’s shoulders, and around Jaal’s waist. “Nikki’s awake!”

 

“And I get _hugs!”_ PeeBee said, wrapping her arms around Viveka. “Really, though, good for you. I’m happy and blah, blah, blah, you get it. Emotional crap.”

 

“Aw, Peebs! You’re cute today!” Viveka said, squeezing her closer.

 

Jaal picked them both up in a giant group hug. “This is a great day! We must hurry and complete our mission! We must get back to your family!”

 

“Well, that’s not going to happen until you put us down, Jaal!” PeeBee gasped out. “As much as I love being in a Jaal-Vivi sandwich, I can’t _breathe.”_


	15. Chapter 15

Nick was _livid._

 

No. Nikita was more than just livid. Nick was stark raving mad. She was hurling out curses, shaking, and trying her damnedest to walk without the damn bars, but she kept _falling._

 

And she couldn’t even use her arms to push herself back up. _They_ were failing her too.

 

Her muscles needed to hurry up and get back up to par, she had a fucking sister to help.

 

She _refused_ to use the harness to keep her upright. She wasn’t going to fucking be strapped up, damn it. She would do this. She would fucking make it through this.

 

\----------

 

Vetra finished loading up some of the Turians that wished to leave Havarl. There were only a few, others wished to stay behind, just in case. She couldn’t blame them.

 

Roekaar had been an annoyance, but not hard to take down in the long run. It made hunting down the salvage harder, for sure, but Kett were worse. Liam went all out against Kett, losing his focus and charging forward without thinking. It was becoming harder for them to control him with his need to avenge his lost friend.

 

Cora had already laid into him hard, Vetra and him didn’t see eye to eye. He didn’t like her very much, due to her line of work.

 

But things were never so black and white.

 

Her gizzard clenched and she forced down a low keen. It didn’t matter what anyone thought. She did what she had to to survive, he was just naive. He was just a kid. He _couldn’t_ understand. How could he? He wasn’t left alone to fend for himself. He wasn’t left with a kid to look after. He wasn’t beat and broken on the streets over and over until he learned that doing things the right way wasn’t going to be the way that they survived.

 

He had his family. He had that stability and security. He didn’t _know._ And she couldn’t blame him for that.

 

She wanted to go back to the Tempest and have tea with Suvi.

 

Suvi _understood._ Suvi _listened_. Suvi _cared._

 

Suvi didn’t _judge._

 

Her mandibles clacked against her jaw and she looked back up at the ramp leading to the Tempest. Shaking her head, she turned back and took off to catch back up with Cora and Liam. They had to get back to the scientists and report to Ryder.

 

\-----------

 

 

**Vetra(Ground Team): Ryder. Turians found, it was part of the ark, but not the entire ark. Their pathfinder is still out there somewhere. More details later.**

 

**Cora(Ground Team): Mission Complete. Awaiting orders, Pathfinder.**

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Stand by. Pathfinder Alpha Team engaged in battle. Messages relayed after action.**

 

**Cora(Ground Team): Sam, should we go in as back up?**

 

**SAM(Ground Team): It is unnecessary, Alpha Team is in good spirits. Their success rate is 98.92%**

 

**\------------**

 

Viveka rocketed herself off the ground, using Jaal’s right shoulder as leverage. Jaal, expecting it, didn’t flinch as her hand grabbed his shoulder to launch herself into the sky. Her body twisted mid-air, throwing a pull at a Roekaar before her other fist came down hard with a slam to the two Roekaar below her.

 

PeeBee had her pistol out, shooting Roekaar and ducking behind a large rock formation before they could get sights on her, taking off to get a new area on the formation to shoot from. Rinse, repeat.

 

Viveka was timing her hits to the beat of Space Jam, getting lost in the song as the battle went on, eventually patching it through to her two team mates who began taking part in the battle dance.

 

“Whoop, yeah, Vivi! Work that body, work that body, work it!” PeeBee half sang over the com and Viveka laughed.

 

“That’s it, Peebs, lets dance!” Ryder called out, gracefully somersaulting over a Roekaar who tried to melee her. She twirled to the left, dodging a bullet, then shot off a warp taking down the melee Roekaar while Jaal took out the one who’d shot at her.

 

“This song is _ridiculous.”_ Jaal said, laughing. “It makes no sense!”


	16. Chapter 16

**Viveka(Ground team): We’re headed your way. We got some new information, we’ll be looking into some things that’ll take a while.**

 

**Vetra(Ground Team): Trouble?**

 

**Viveka(Ground Team): When is there _not_ trouble?**

 

**Cora(Ground Team): Around you? Never.**

 

Viveka gave a soft huff of protest while PeeBee and Jaal chuckled at her back.

 

“She kind of has a point, Vivi. You even have a big bad guy after you. Remember that guy? He was all where is the one who activated the remnant. And you basically spat in his face! It was priceless.” PeeBee said, grinning.

 

“Oh, yeah, that guy with the big ship of doom.” Viveka said, tapping the chin of her helm. “Hey, Jaal, is there anything you guys know about some giant Kett ship? It was like, right outside the scourge outside of Aya. It’s what scared us through the scourge to meet you guys.”

 

Jaal choked. “What?”

 

“Yeah, some Kett guy was like demanding I hand myself over. Something about destiny or something.” Viveka waved her hand, annoyed. “He was _really_ annoying and full of himself. Tried to take over my ship. Sam took it back over and we got the hell out of there, fast. Used the scourge to destroy the smaller ships following, and make sure the big one couldn’t follow. Ended up damaged and met you!” With the last bit, Viveka turned around, poking Jaal in the chest. He frowned.

 

“You met the _Archon,_ who wants _you,_ outside of _Aya,_ and you forgot to mention this to Evfra?” Jaal asked, crossing his arms.

 

“Oh. Well. You guys didn’t ask how we got on fire.” Viveka said, blinking.

 

“ _Dear one,_ Evfra is _not_ going to be happy.” Jaal said, rubbing his forehead.

 

“Oops. Uh. Well, I did send him a rude human hand sign before running away?” Viveka said, hopefully while Jaal groaned.

 

“Viveka, darling, the Archon is the Kett Leader. If this is all true, Evfra should have been informed when you landed.” Jaal said, rubbing the back of his cowl. “Skkut. I will need to report this to Evfra.”

 

“I didn’t think about it, Kett are really everywhere, so yeah.” Viveka said, sighing. “But you’re right, I fucked up. I’ll request a vid call with him.”

 

“Yes, that would be wise.”

 

\---------

 

 

Nikita pulled on her black and red headset, growling in frustration at the weakness in her limbs. She had to try harder. She had to push.

 

She had to get better.

 

Viveka wasn’t the fighter, she was.

 

She smiled as a familiar tune began strumming in her ears, and she hoisted herself on the bars, opening her mouth to sing.

 

_Easily playing_

_Never bat an eye_

_Weeping and posing_

_Another perfect alibi_

 

She took two steps forward, closing her eyes and lifting her head throwing herself into the song.

 

_Everyday lonely_

_I’d rather play a game_

_Like a slow running stream of honey_

_I crave_

 

She took another two steps, curling her back, she threw her hip into a roll and pointed her toe, turning one foot to the side and arching an arm above her elegantly.

 

_Looking at you now_

_Yes, and even you_

_Was I unneeded?_

_Was I just in the way too?_

 

Another toe point. A turn, slow, but that was okay. Grab the rail, bend. Stretch. Step. Step.

 

_Call me a phantom_

_Never meant to be_

_Couldn’t be more fun_

_To party and scream_

 

She kept moving, feeling her body ache with each step. Her muscles hurt so bad, but the burn was so good. She spun, using her hands to help on the bars.

 

Now My oh My oh

Walk your way to me

Clap your hands we’re

Traveling to the beat

 

Feeling confident, she let go of the bars, clapping her hands to the beat, walking backwards and tapping her toes and heels in time with her claps.

 

_Why oh Why oh_

_Hurry up and leave_

_And again I’ve come to see_

_I’ve been a very bad girl_

 

She smirked as she opened her eyes as the rest of the song blared in her ears, she continued. Instead of trying to walk, she danced.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hitorinbo Envy - ᴀᴄᴏᴜꜱᴛɪᴄ ᴀʀʀᴀɴɢᴇ- (English Cover)【JubyPhonic] is the song. you can find it on youtube :)


	17. Chapter 17

“I had already come across this intel _after_ you left Aya, human.” Evfra’s holo growled out, narrowing his eyes at her. “Your honesty of the situation is appreciated, belated as it is. The Kett flagship and its forces had been unable to follow your path through the scourge, and the deaths of so many Kett was a...welcome surprise. They left shortly before your departure, to where, we are unaware.”

 

“I _am_ sorry I didn’t say something before. It should have been brought up when I first landed, but, to be fair, I had guns pointed at me and I was nervous.” Viveka said, scratching the back of her head.

 

“Jaal reports you are young, and new to your position. Mistakes like this can be devastating, Pathfinder, you would do well to remember this.” Evfra says, not exactly unkindly, but his superior attitude caused her hackles to rise.

 

“I know! I-Yes. I understand. I know now how bad that was, it could have been horrible if they got through.” She said, eyes cast down and clenching her fists. “I’ll do better.”

 

“I expect nothing less, if the reports Jaal are sending in are accurate. Are we quite done, human?” Evfra asks, lifting his nose a notch and Viveka shook her head.

 

“No. I need to ask about Akksul.”

 

“Akksul.” He sneered. “A fool who despises you aliens and thinks you nothing but more Kett. He has been recruiting at a rapid pace since your kind’s arrival. Kadara has not _helped.”_

 

“Kadara?” Viveka asked, looking up with confusion. Evfra raised a brow ever so slightly.

 

“Some of your kind, under the command of one called Sloane Kelly, took over Kadara, formerly an Angara world. I take it you were unaware?” Evfra asked and she frowned.

 

“Sloane Kelly. Former head of security, part of an uprising on our main station, was exiled. I was lead to believe those who were exiled were _dead.”_ She pauses, a hand on her chin. “If they managed to take an Angaran world, they are somewhat established, it would be illogical to just attack them. I need to try to talk to them. If she was head of security, maybe she’d be willing to listen to reason.”

 

“...A separate faction then. Not unlike the Roekaar are to us.” He murmured, his brows furrowed. “We will discuss Kadara later, Ryder, for now you need to focus on the task at hand.”

 

“Right. I have a few leads on Havarl I need to follow up on, but I’ve got the scientists saved for you. It’s likely there is a vault here, as well, and from what I’m gathering it’s linked to the crazy plants and wildlife.” Viveka said, placing a hand on her hip. “If I can get to that vault, I can help the Angara here.”

 

“Your mission was simply to rescue the scientists and you choose to stay to help with the vault?” He asked, quirking a brow. She nodded.

 

“It is my hope that it will help. You have people here begging to leave because of the plant life. I want to try to fix that.” Viveka said, standing tall. “I am first and foremost a peacekeeper. If I can help, I will.”

 

“Arrogant, bold. Fine. Do what you must, you still have time.” Evfra said, his frown easing up. “Stay strong and clear, Pathfinder.”

 

“Stay strong and clear.” Viveka echoed as the comm cut out and she sighed a breath of relief. “That went better than expected.”

 

 

\----------

 

 

What Jaal had thought he’d find that night when he went to Viveka’s room was certainly not what he found. He held the two cups of hot tea in his hands tight as he watched the scene unfold before him, a moment he was sure he was not suppose to witness.

 

Yet, here he was, as the doors closed behind him quietly, he stared mesmerized by the sight.

 

A voice came through the personal vidcom system in Viveka’s quarters, on the screen her sister with her eyes closed, _singing._ And Viveka was _dancing_ and _adding her voice to her sister’s._

 

It was _beautiful._

 

Nikita’s voice rang out loud and clear.

 

_I’m a goddess with a blade_

_See me then you’re dead_

_Say my name come on_

_Loud Loud Loud Loud_

 

_I could take you to the top_

_No help needed_

_Because I’m a bad_

_Gal Gal Gal Gal_

 

Then suddenly, Viveka’s voice came in, commanding and strong. It drew him in as she moved in seductive, smooth dance moves he’d never seen before. Both of them sang in harmony, and it was enthralling.

 

_And when I start to talk like that_

_You won’t know how to react_

_I’m a picture perfect face_

_With that wild in my veins_

_You can hear it in my_

_Growl growl growl growl_

 

Suddenly, Viveka dropped into her desk chair, kicking her desk and rolling back while she sang solo. Her head was thrown back, her hand drifted down her body, then down her crossed legs in a wildly seductive way. He crushed down the bioelectrics that thrummed trying to break out of him at the sight.

 

_So keep your eyes on me now_

_Because the shows about to start_

_On the highest level_

_Try to meet us at the top_

 

_We got it all in our hands now_

_Can you handle what we’re all about?_

 

_We’re so tough_

_Not afraid to show you up_

_Can you feel the rush--_ ”JAAL!” Viveka’s singing abruptly ended and she fell out of her chair, while Nick began laughing on the vidcom. 

 

“Holy shit, did your alien boyfriend walk in on that!?”

 

“Oh my _god,_ Nick, _shut up!”_ Viveka said, her face aflame. 

 

“That’s fucking hilarious! You were fucking feeling yourself up and everything!” Nick roared with laughter, slamming a hand on the comm terminal. “That’s fucking great! HAH! I needed that!”

 

“You were beautiful, dear one, no need to be embarrassed.” Jaal says, simply, striding across the room and placing the cups of tea on the table. “Hello, again, sister of my beloved one!” 

 

“Is he for real?” Nick asked, and Viveka laughed. 

 

“I was questioning for a while if I hallucinated him. He’s so sweet, all the time. Yes, he’s for real.” Viveka said, standing and moving to sit next to Jaal and grab a cup of tea. “Thanks for the tea, Jelly Bean!”

 

“We fought many battles today, I thought you might need to relax.” He said, draping an arm across the back of the couch behind her. “I was unaware I’d get a show for doing so, it was a pleasant surprise!”

 

Nick barked out a laugh at that and Viveka blushed. “So why do you call him Jelly Bean?” Nick asked, and Jaal turned to Viveka as well. 

 

Viveka grinned. “He’s colorful, sweet, and when he  _is_ anything  _but_ sweet it catches you off guard.”

 

“Like a jelly bean.” Nick groaned. “You’re stupid.”

 

“ _I_ am absolutely _adorable._ Ask Jelly Bean. Aren’t I adorable?” Viveka asked and he smiled. 

 

“You are the star that guides my path, my dearest. _I_ adore you, of course.” Jaal said before taking a sip of his tea. Nick scrunched up her nose. 

 

“That was nauseatingly mushy. Is he seriously always like this?”

 

“Always.”

 

“I hate you _both._ ”

 

“Love you too, sis.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> K/DA Popstars on youtube. Find it. Love it. 'tis the song


	18. Chapter 18

PeeBee and Jaal were her ground team again, and Vetra was sent with Liam and Cora to pick up an artifact for Avela. It was a tiring journey, climbing a mountain and battling random remnant on the way up. There was even a weird gravity well trip, which PeeBee absolutely loved.

 

In fact, PeeBee had raised her arms up high, wiggling her fingers, making the strangest faces while floating and laughing the entire time saying she was the almighty Goddess.

 

It was quite the sight.

 

Viveka, upon landing, couldn’t stop laughing when she’d turned around and seen it. Jaal, amused, began wondering if he should do a handstand for the next gravity well they came across, for science of course.

 

Really, Mithrava’s ascent was chaos in itself. Remnant had been hiding in the most unexpected of places. Breachers waited to shove them off cliffs with the impacts of their metal bodies, Assemblers making the small Breachers, a couple Nullifiers with their annoying shields, and a ton of Observers. Always with the Observers.

 

It wasn’t enough that they had to climb a mountain and solve a remnant puzzle, no, they also had to fight for their lives and not fall off while doing so. Viveka had lost the left shoulder to her armor set—and she’d liked it!

 

She’d bought it specifically because it was sturdy _and_ nice looking! But, no! Observers always had to target her with their stupid lasers!

 

Viveka looked over at her shoulder with a huff. “Stupid Remnant piece of crap Observers, shooting me with their stupid lasers. I’m not even colorful and pretty like you two! Why am I always targeted! Do I have a shoot me sign on my back?!” She whined as the laughter from PeeBee’s antics ended. PeeBee grinned.

 

“You’re still on that? Really? It’s just armor.” PeeBee said, poking at her shoulder and Viveka frowned at her.

 

“Darling, you are _beautiful,_ one would have to be _dead_ not to notice!” Jaal stated, not liking her comparison to them. “The skutting Remnant just want to strip you bare.”

 

“No, I think you just want them to strip her for you.” PeeBee said, chuckling. Jaal added his own laughter in.

 

“Fair.”

 

“Not funny! They _broke_ the best shoulder piece set I have! Ugh!” Viveka said, throwing her hands in the air. “Whatever, lets go through that door there. Stupid aliens with stupid pervy minds!”

 

“Darling one! I will make you a new one! A _better_ one!” Jaal shouts as he follows after her and PeeBee trails behind with a skip in her step.

“Let her stew, it’s a girl thing.” PeeBee chirped.

 

“Stew? What?” Jaal asked, confused.

 

“Oh. Uh…Human idioms. Right. I don’t know that one _exactly_ but she’s mad and needs to think about it.” PeeBee said, blinking. “Huh. What _is_ that one? Stew is a human _food.”_

 

“Humans are….strange.” Jaal said, holding a hand to his head with confusion. PeeBee grinned.

 

“We all are, in our own way.” She skipped by him casually. “Its more interesting than anything.”

 

When the door opened they were greeted by an older Angara who’s blue skin was littered with speckling of gray. His face held white markings of a strong bond to two Angara nearby, and his eyes were drawn in wariness and sleepless nights. He’d been here a long time, tired. Waiting.

 

“How did you get past the defenses?” He asked, though his tone was surprised it also held an air of authority.

 

Viveka snorted. “Oh, that? Easy. Pfft. No problem. No really, I hate the remnant so much right now.”

 

“We are strong warriors, and have come seeking your knowledge.” Jaal supplied, shrugging.

 

PeeBee bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

 

As Viveka explained the need to access the vault, PeeBee covered her mouth with both her hands trying to keep her laughter suppressed, and Jaal chuckled at the sight.

 

\--------

 

Harry sighed as Nikita pushed herself. “Nikita, you’re going to hurt yourself more if you keep this up. You need to rest.”

 

“Shut the fuck up.” She snapped at him from the bars, turning her back to him. “I’ve got this.”

 

“Nikita...”

 

“I don’t give a shit what you say, my fucking sister is out there fighting.” She snapped, twisting her steps in a slow steady dance rhythm. “I’m getting out there.”

 

“You’re going to hinder your progress if you keep this up.” Harry warned with a sigh. He knew better than to argue with her, having been friends with Alec long enough.

 

“I’ll be back on the fucking field in no time, doc.” She snarled, ignoring the pain as she lifted her leg up as high as she could. Her other leg gave out and she cursed, clinging to the bars as Harry rushed over.


	19. Chapter 19

First Sage Esmus had surprised the group with his tale of Zorai and Taavos, and the Angaran reincarnation. It was something Viveka had certainly not expected at all. And, of course, finding Taavos was not going to be easy either.

 

Fun fact: Taavos joined the Roekaar.

 

That was great. That was just... _fantastic._

 

Their lead on the vault was with the alien hate group that shot first and asked questions _never._ Perfect. Wonderful.

 

Viveka removed her helm as she took this in, looking up at the Havarl sky. It was getting late. They’d have to make camp soon. “Jaal, PeeBee, find a place to set up camp safely. Ask Esmus if it’s alright to stay here, if need be.” She said, walking over to the edge of the cliff and looking over the beautiful scene. Creatures flew through the sky like whales with too many fins, their under bellies glowing with a red bioluminescence. They were so alien, but so beautiful. She knew there was some kind of science to how they flew, but it was some how magical just to watch and not think about it.

 

She turned around and watched as Jaal began setting up a fire just on the other side of the Remnant doors, safe from the weather and the wildlife. PeeBee was talking to an Angara woman off to the side, handing her some things in exchange for a few fruits from a tree nearby.

 

Viveka nodded and she headed over to where Jaal had started the fire. It was glowing a strange purple color, likely caused by the strange plants he used.

 

“Sam, update Vetra and Cora on how we’re doing.” Viveka said as she sat down beside Jaal, who lifted an arm and draped it over her comfortably. “Are they finished with their assignment?”

 

**SAM(Ground Team): They have not, Pathfinder. They encountered both Roekaar and Remnant in high numbers, and are currently looking for a way up out of the chasm the artifact was in.**

 

“Why did they go down without a way up?” Viveka asked, crossing her arms.

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Mr. Kosta slipped, luckily he landed on a ledge before hitting the bottom and wasn’t harmed.**

 

“Have you mapped them a way out?”

 

**SAM(Ground Team): I offered, Mr. Kosta has expressed dissatisfaction in my help in the matter.**

 

PeeBee laughed as she walked in, handing Jaal and Viveka each a fruit. “Men are dumb. No offense, Jaal.”

 

Jaal frowned at her and Viveka chuckled, nudging Jaal with her elbow. “It’s okay, Jelly Bean, Liam’s being...Liam. Sam, map them a route and tell Liam I told him he can suck it. In those words.”

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Yes, Pathfinder. Relaying. Sent.**

 

**\----------**

 

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Mapping chasm escape route now. Navpoints set. Pathfinder relays the message: Suck it. For Mr. Kosta.**

 

“Damn it!” Liam said, and Cora threw her hands in the air.

 

“Finally!” Cora shouted.

 

Vetra grunted. “This is why me and Cora were suppose to be in charge...”

 

“Shut it!” Liam said, annoyed.

 

“You shut your mouth, Kosta! You got us in this mess!” Cora snapped, hand on her hip. “If you’d just listen to us we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

 

“...Fuck. Okay, I get it, alright?!”

 

“Do you really?” Vetra asked, rolling her eyes, walking ahead and following the Navpoints. “This way, let’s try to get back before dark.”

 

\--------

 

 

Nikita groaned as woke. Pain shot through her as she tried to sit, and a hand pressed to her chest. “Miss Ryder, you need to stay laying down while the cybernetic muscle weave in your legs heal up.”

 

_Cybernetics?_

 

For the first time she felt the oxygen mask on her face. “What the fuck is going on?” She asked and looked over at an Asari doctor. The Asari frowned, her green-blue color accented by white markings on her face.

 

“You over did yourself and got injured. We had to take drastic measures to keep muscles from tearing apart. You’re healing from surgery.” The doctor said, grabbing a datapad and looking over it. “You put yourself back by some time, we don’t know by how much.”

 

“ _Fuck!”_


	20. Chapter 20

Vetra sighed as they approached the destroyed remains of Raashel Vier’s research building. Annoyed by the sight of two bug-like creatures, she shot them immediately. “Let’s hope that’s all there is here.” She said and Liam snorted.

 

“Is that ever all there is?” He asked and Cora clicked her tongue.

 

“No, but it would be nice.” Cora said, readying her gun and heading forward.

 

Vetra stilled as she heard soft growls and rustling. “Enemies!”

 

Several challyrion came out of the building, most cloaking immediately. Liam cursed under his breath, his eyes darting around frantically for the enemy. Vetra charged forward, stabbing the air next to him with her omniblade, revealing a cloaked beast who’d been ready to strike. Cora threw down a slam, successfully bringing three out of their cloaks and all hell broke loose as the three members of the ground team pulled their guns and shot the targets.

 

Vetra let out a warbling click and turned slow, listening. “There’s more. Two.” She growled out, her subvocals ringing out in a low animalistic warning.

 

Darting forward, Vetra kicked off the side of one cloaked enemy and brought her fist into the face of another. Both successfully uncloaked, Cora and Liam took aim and fired.

 

“What the shit! How the fuck did you know they were there?” Liam asked as Vetra came stalking back to them. She pulled out a cloth and wiped blood from her fist with a frown.

 

“You learn to listen to everything when you’re out on your own.” Vetra said, her low subharmonics not letting up their growl. “If you don’t listen you get hurt, or die.”

 

“Shit.”

 

Cora rolled her eyes at Liam. “Let’s see if we can find anything of use in here.” She said, entering the building and Vetra went in after her, her growl finally dying down.

 

Liam stared for a moment at the doorway before entering himself.

 

\-----------

 

Nick stared at the ceiling of Alec’s room, her legs in pain from the muscle weaves taking place. Closing her eyes she threw an arm over them. Her lips pressed into a thin line and she tried not to think about the set back.

 

Without thinking, she opened her mouth and began to sing, even with Harry in the room monitoring her vitals.

 

 _Well I've heard there was a secret chord_  
That David played and it pleased the Lord  
But you don't really care for music, do you?  
Well it goes like this:  
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift  
The baffled king composing Hallelujah!

 

As her vocals rose and became stronger, she grasped her hand in a fist pressing it to her chest. She dropped her arm from her face, her eyes still clenched shut.

 

 _Hallelujah_  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah

 

A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away in anger.

 

_ You say I took the name in vain _

_I don't even know the name_

_But if I did, well really, what's it to you?_

_There's a blaze of light in every word_

_It doesn't matter which you heard_

_The holy or the broken Hallelujah_

 

She opened her eyes and ignored Harry’s protests as she began to sit up.

 

 _Hallelujah_  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah

 

She shoved his hand away from her, never stopping the song. She moved to get to the edge of the bed with determination. She could hear Harry shouting, but she didn’t care.

 

 _But baby I've been here before_  
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor  
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya  
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch  
And love is not a victory march  
It's a cold and it's a **broken Hallelujah!**

 

One leg fell off the bed and slowly the other. Dangling over the edge, her feet not touching the floor yet she closed her eyes as the pain shot through her. She was by no means a spiritual or religious person, but music was her strength and joy.

 

 __Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah

 

_I did my best, it wasn't much_

_I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch_

_I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you_

_And even though it all went wrong_

_I'll stand before the Lord of Song_

_**With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!** _

 

As she sang the lyrics she pushed off the bed, her feet hit the floor and for one wobbly second she was standing. Her breath left her and she collapsed to the ground, and the world went black.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: When Ryder doesn't use Biotics, Jaal can't tell what she's about to do because he's not feeling what she's about to do!

Viveka groaned as the last remnant fell. The Remnant Abyss had been packed full of them when they had went in to get Zorai’s heirloom. It had been an annoyance that Ryder, herself, could have definitely gone without. And then, when they resurfaced from the place, there had been _more._

 

Like they had sprouted out of the ground like some blasted weeds.

 

Now they had to find this Taavos and get him to touch it or something and hope that that works. Even though the heirloom gauntlet was a bit smashed.

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Pathfinder, the navpoint for Taavos given to us has been set. Warning: Active enemy forces ahead.**

 

Viveka sighed and brought up her gun. “Of course there are enemies.”

 

“Did you expect something different?” Jaal asked, cloaking behind her as her biotics flared to life.

 

“She’s pretty optimistic, but I don’t think she’s _that_ optimistic.” PeeBee said, pulling out a second pistol. “Can we hurry up and get this done?”

 

As they approached the Chasm of the Builders Roekaar fired on them and Ryder brought up a shield.

 

“Look! We just want to talk!” She shouted and PeeBee groaned.

 

“Vivi, they’re alien haters, your boyfriend already warned you about this!” PeeBee said before charging forward and returning fire.

 

“I’m allowed to try!” Viveka said before throwing down an annihilation field and a pull. “They’ve still got _lives,_ Peebs, its nice to let some chicken out and run sometimes!”

 

“I admire your wish to help others, dear one, but this is not the time!” Jaal said, appearing behind a floating target and plunging his blade into the enemy’s back.

 

“Your concern is noted and dismissed!” Viveka shouted, biotically charging forward and slamming her fist into a Roekaar who was in mid-reload.

 

PeeBee jumped over them, firing both pistols at once with a grin. “I think that’s her way of saying fuck you, Jaal!”

 

“I would gladly oblige to that command!” Jaal said, sniping off a distant enemy and reloading.

 

“Don’t pretend you don’t know that one!” Viveka shouted, ducking into cover and shutting off her biotics. “My implant is close to overheating, Peebs, take point! Jaal, I’m going shotgun!”

 

“Hell yeah!” PeeBee shouted and Jaal snorted, sniping off two more enemies.

 

Suddenly Viveka flew by PeeBee, racing forward and blasting several Roekaar point blank before ducking into cover. “Adrenaline rush! Fun stuff!” Viveka laughed from her cover as PeeBee shot down another enemy.

 

“You’re insane!” PeeBee laughed and Jaal growled in the com.

 

“They have shotguns, too! Be careful!”

 

“Oh, your boyfriends getting grumpy!” PeeBee chirped and Viveka grinned.

 

“Worried I’ll get a hole in my ass, Jelly Bean?” Viveka asked, pulling out a rifle and picking off two enemies.

 

“I’m worried about more than your _ass,_ Viveka!”

 

Viveka looked over to PeeBee, grinning. “PeeBee, throw me. I want to blast them from behind.”

 

“ _What?!”_ Jaal yelled over the comm system in horror.


	22. Chapter 22

Jaal watched in horror as Ryder— _Viveka –_ vaulted herself off the bridge that spanned the Chasm of the Builders. He choked on her name mid scream as PeeBee’s hand glowed a vibrant purple color—the trademark of asari biotics. Viveka reappeared suddenly behind a pack of eleven Roekaar before she was dropped off.

 

Viveka was safe.

 

His heart was beating wildly in his chest at the crazy move, but he lifted his rifle and picked off three Roekaar in quick succession before he saw Viveka plow throw four more with her shotgun. A fifth was taken down with her omniblade, a sizzling snap resounding as she pulled it from the man’s neck. PeeBee shot out a pull at two more, pulling them right off the edge of the cliff and down into the chasm below. With one left, Jaal targeted them and they went down quickly.

 

“ _Viveka,_ I am going to-to I do not know! Do not throw yourself off cliffs!” Jaal yelled into the comm system after the battle was done as he approached her and she winked at him from her place among the bodies, slinging her shotgun over her shoulder.

 

“Livin’ on the wild side, Jelly Bean!”

 

“I do not like it! I thought you were going to die!” Jaal shouted at her as he reached her, and she pulled off her helm.

 

“You thought I’d jumped to my death?” She asked, eyebrow raised.

 

“Yes-no-I _do not skutting know! Do n--”_

 

His protests died as Viveka grabbed his rofjinn and yanked him down pressing her lips to his. A deep rumble came pouring from his chest as his bioelectrics surrounded them, sparking. Her mouth opened up to the gentle pressure of his tongue and he pulled her close, taking her helm from her hand and tossing it away from them gently.

 

Her biotics responded to the probing of his bioelectrics, seeping out slowly and mingling with his energy in a lovers embrace that only the two themselves could only fully understand.

 

PeeBee, standing back, watched closely, understanding dawning in her eyes as the energies melded and swirled together.

 

“Well, are we going to find this guy or are you two going to start fucking? I’m down for either, just so you know.” PeeBee said, causing Viveka to break the passionate embrace with a startled look.

 

Jaal groaned. “ _Dark skutting skies,_ PeeBee. I was _enjoying_ my dear one’s affections.”

 

“Yeah, well, you’re basically standing on dead bodies, thought you might not want to start porking on them.”

 

“...Porking? I thought Pork was a _meat.”_

 

“Yeah, and porking would be her--” PeeBee pointed at Viveka who had picked up her helm. “--taking your meat.” She said, pointing at his crotch. He thought about it and nodded.

 

“Crude terminology, but I can somewhat understand that one.”

 

“Can we stop talking about this— _please!?”_ Viveka said as she pulled on her helm and reattached the hoses. “Let’s get going.”

 

“So, no sex with Jaal?” PeeBee asked and Viveka glared at her.

 

\-----------

 

After talking to Taavos they decided to meet up at the Navpoint the following morning. The path to the Tempest had been surprisingly clear, but it was welcome.

 

Viveka wanted a shower and a bed.

 

As they entered the Tempest, they were greeted by a few turians eating something Drack had made for them, a couple leaning against the Nomad with plates in their hand and a few sitting awkwardly on the ground with their own plates. They all gave the crew polite nods of their heads and talked about the Nexus and what all they had learned to expect there.

 

Gil was among them, flirting with a rather tough looking Turian that was having none of this human’s advances.

 

Jaal and PeeBee followed her to the armory where they removed their weapons and armor, Jaal taking a moment to let his gaze linger appreciatively over Viveka’s form as she stripped down to underarmor. He watched as she placed her hands on her lower back and arched, popping her spine. PeeBee and him winced.

 

“Humans are weird.” PeeBee said, walking over to Viveka and cupping her breasts in her palms. “How come you’re always hiding these babies away?”

 

Viveka sputtered and smacked PeeBee’s hands away. “It’s not like I use them for fighting, Peebs!” She said, flush hot on her cheeks. Jaal frowned at the exchange.

 

“I have noticed humans and asari both have them, from what I’ve learned they’re only purpose is--” Jaal started and Viveka interrupted.

 

“Their use is to feed babies. Other things they’re used for just happened.” Viveka said, crossing her arms over her breasts feeling slightly exposed now. “And they _aren’t_ for random people to play with, Peebs!”

 

“Well, I’d let you play with _mine_ anytime, Vivi.” PeeBee said with a wink and Viveka rolled her eyes.

 

“I bet you _would._ ” Viveka said as Jaal’s arms suddenly wrapped around her middle. “You can’t play with my boobs either, Jaal.”

 

“Yet.” PeeBee chipped in and Viveka facepalmed.

 

“I—can’t argue with that one. Damn it, Peebs, shut your piehole!” Viveka said as she was hefted up onto her Angara throne, as she’d affectionately called the position he seemed to enjoy holding her in. She crossed her legs and arms as Jaal laughed, giving her a kiss to her temple.

 

“I can wait to play with your body, darling one.” He said, sending a bioelectric charge rippling into her with a feeling of need. Viveka blushed red and smacked his arm.

 

“But you can’t wait all the same, I get it, let me down Jelly Bean! I need a shower.”

 

“Oh! I’ll join you!” PeeBee said as Viveka was set down on her feet. The dark haired woman waved a finger at her.

 

“Only if you keep your hands to your damn self, PeeBee! And the rest of you! You know I like to shower alone!”

 

“Mmm...as tempting as you are….I think Jaal has sadly claimed first dibs on sexy time. I’ll just stick to getting to shower with you.” PeeBee said with an exaggerated sigh. Viveka shoved her, causing the asari to stumble as they head out the door.

 

“Oh, Jelly Bean!” Viveka said, looking over her shoulder at him. “You shower up after us, I want to talk about a few things, okay?”

 

He smiled and nodded. “Of course, _Viveka.”_

 

“You are _killing_ me.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW ahead! Light explicit content! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED, THE LOT OF YOU.

The Asari doctor frowned at her and Nick crossed her arms in anger.

 

“You’re lucky you didn’t do any permanent damage, Nikita Ryder.” She scolded, Harry nodding beside her. “You need to stay off your feet while your legs heal.”

 

“My _fucking sister_ is out there trying to find you a home and you expe-”

 

“We expect you to take into account you need to be in good health before you can get back on the field.” The woman scolded, crossing her own arms. “I understand you don’t like this. I understa--”

 

“You fucking understand nothing.”

 

“We’re trying to help you, Nikita, you need to focus on getting better.” Harry soothed, sighing. “In a week we can get you into a hoverchair. It’s the best we can do given the current state of your legs. Until then we’ll need to monitor things.”

 

“This is such _bullshit!_ I should have been the one out there! She’s fucking not cut out for fighting a god damned war!” Nikita yelled, throwing her fist into the pillow beside her. Harry winced.

 

“All the more reason you need to get better as quick as possible and not push yourself to the point you don’t recover.” The asari doctor said, walking over to the side of the bed. “I’ll tell you what, if we can have you rest long enough to get these muscle weaves in place I’ll research a faster recovery plan for you. After those cybernetic weaves take hold they’ll help your recovery ten-fold.”

 

“...I’ll think about it. I’m not making any fucking promises.”

 

“That’s all we can ask of you, Nikita.”

 

\------------

 

 

After getting dressed from his shower Jaal found himself in front of Viveka’s room, tea in hand. A couple curious Turians in the mess glanced his way, but didn’t say anything as the doors swished open. Viveka was sitting on the couch, quietly reading a datapad when he stepped in.

 

“I brought tea, dear one.” He said, walking over and setting the two cups down on the table. She smiled up at him as he sat beside her, and she curled herself up against him.

 

“Thanks. I was just reviewing some things. Nikita set back her physical therapy, apparently.”

 

“That does not sound good.” Jaal said as he watched to grab her cup and sip from it.

 

“She’s stubborn and doesn’t like to not be in control.” Viveka paused and looked down at the datapad. “She’d have made a great pathfinder. She’s the fighter in the family, Jelly Bean. She’s probably just...really worried.”

 

“ _You_ are doing an exceptional job, darling one. I can imagine no other in your place.”

 

“You’re biased because you like me.” Viveka said with a small smile and he chuckled.

 

“I _adore_ you, and if I did not truly think you were doing well at your job, I would tell you.” He said, leaning in and giving her a small kiss on her temple as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Do not think so little of yourself, dearest.”

 

“Mmm, I still think you’re just glad it was me who crash landed on Aya and not my sister.”

 

“That too. I do not think I could have become so enthralled in another.” He said, grabbing his cup with his foot and bringing it up to his hand to take. “It does not change the fact you have done great things, even in the short time I have come to join you.”

 

“You’re too good to me.” She said, setting down her datapad beside her and turning to rub her cheek against his chest.

 

“I could never be _too good_ to you, Taoshay.” He rumbled out, his hand lowering to her hip and his thumb idly stroking the skin peaking out from her shirt. “You are very affectionate today. I like it.”

 

“Just enjoying the calm. We have to go into that vault tomorrow, and that’s going to take a lot of fighting and stress. Well, from my past experiences. What does.. Tay-oh-shay?...mean?”

 

“Taoshay, my dear one.” He purred, putting down his cup and taking hers from her, placing it on the table. He leaned over her and gently pressed his lips to the crook of her neck. Bioelectricity sparked from his fingers as he ran them down one of her outer thighs, causing her to gasp as she felt the _want, need, longing,_ and _love._ “It is what we call our beloved one, our lover. It is strictly used for those who are held above all others.” His voice was low and quiet as his lips found the underside of her jaw, and she shivvered. “My _Taoshay,_ you are the star that guides me, the one I will follow anywhere, the one I crave and everything I am calls out for.”

 

“You _are not real.”_ Her voice sounded husky even to her own ears as she turned, or maybe he turned her, she wasn’t sure, and laid back on the couch while his lips and tongue explored her throat and collar bone. His hands on her hips pulled them to meet his own, and she gasped at the bulge pressed against her.

 

“I assure you, darling one, I am indeed real.” He said, his breath hot against her neck. Her back arched and her hands found the back of his cowl, gripping at him causing him to _moan_ into her throat.

 

“Jaal.” She whispered his name just before his lips captured hers, and she ground her core up against him with a smothered whimper. She could hear and _feel_ his deep purr, and it was _delicious._

 

Jaal pulled back slightly with a hiss, grabbing her hips and pressing his throbbing need against her. “Viveka, we must stop.” He said, though the rolling of his hips said otherwise and she nodded, bringing herself up onto her elbows and kissing him softly.

 

“You come in here, start kissing all over me...mmm.” She was interrupted by his arm scooping her up. Sitting on the couch, he held her in his lap, pressing his lips to hers again as they pressed the proof of their need against each other, grinding in a desperately fast pace. “ _Gods.”_

 

“Viveka, your scent...it is intoxicating.” He groaned out, a hand gripping hold of her ass as they desperately moved against each other. “ _Skutting stars.”_

 

Viveka whimpered, pressing her fingers into his cowl as she began to peak. He gasped and bioelectricity danced between them, sparking up her core and dragging out a ragged moan from her.

 

Their pace quickened and his bioelectricity began thrumming into her again and again, until she was arched back from the pleasure—hers _and_ his—and climaxed in his lap.

 

“ _Skkut_!” He growled, inhaling deep just before he found his own, his bioelectricity surging through her adding to her pleasure.

 

“Holy shit.” Viveka murmured, pressing her lips to his in a slow languid fashion. He returned the kiss readily, wrapping his arms around her.

 

“That was an unexpectedly exciting _talk.”_ He chuckled against her lips and she flushed, punching his shoulder.

 

“Don’t ruin the moment, Jelly Bean.”

 

“ _Never.”_ He purred out, his tongue darting out to lap at the sweat on her neck. “Temptress.”

 

“I wasn’t doing the seducing, here.” She giggled out, embarrassed.

 

“So you say.” He purred against her and lapped at her skin slowly. “We should get cleaned up. Your scent, it is...driving me _wild,_ Taoshay.”

 

She flushed dark and cupped his cheeks, bringing his lips to hers for a quick kiss. “I’m going to go get _another_ shower. Spending the night with me again?” She asked and he smiled.

 

“I can never say no to being close to you, dearest. I will go send off my report to Evfra and shower after you are done.” His eyes darkened with lust as his voice dropped. “Unless you want me to join you...”

 

“I think you’ve reached your limit on sexual encounters for now.” She said with a laugh and he groaned.

 

“As you wish, Taoshay, I will, however, mourn the loss of such an opportunity.”

 

“You’ll get more chances, I’m sure. Now, quit being sexy so I can shower.”

 

Jaal grinned at her. “Am I distracting you from more pressing needs?”

 

“Absolutely.”


	24. Chapter 24

Jaal woke the next morning to the sound of Viveka flitting about her room. She was already in her underarmor, though she had her headset on as she put her dirty clothes into the laundry chute. She was on her tip toes, her ballet training showing as she did a complicated series of steps, adding some salsa in as she went across the room to her computer, checking her emails.

 

He watched the sway of her hips and how standing on her toes brought out the shape of her legs splendidly, smiling lazily as she happily grabbed a cup of coffee nearby and did a twirl as she brought it to her lips. She choked when she saw him awake and he chuckled as she flushed.

 

“H-how long have you been up?” She sputtered, clearing her throat as the burn of the surprise choke of her coffee settled down.

 

His half lidded eyes roamed her form and his grin was just absolutely cheesy.

 

“Long enough.” He said, and she rolled her eyes.

 

“Well, I guess I’ll have to get use to you seeing me dancing eventually, huh?” She said, setting down her cup and walking over to the bed. He lifted an arm in invitation and she crawled in with him with an appreciative hum.

 

“You are beautiful, dear one, and I would love to wake up to see you dancing so happily more often.” He said, nuzzling her hair.

 

“I took lessons, back in the milky way.” She said, curling into him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “My sister and I can both dance and sing. She likes to sing more, but I like to dance.”

 

“It is a marvelous thing, to share something with your sibling.” He said, his fingers playing with her hair.

 

“It is.” She agreed before her hands slid up to the bumpy cartilage on his chest, brushing her fingers on the underside of it where she knew he was ticklish. He jumped and squirmed with a laugh, pushing her hands away. “It’s time to get up, anyway, Jelly Bean. Let’s get breakfast before heading out.”

 

He groaned and made a grab for her, but she was already rolling off the bed with a laugh at his disappointed face.

 

“Up!”

 

\---------

 

Evfra snorted as Paraan Shie gave him her plans to invite the Initiative aliens to send an ambassador and some scientists to Aya if their alliance worked out. It would throw off the Vesaal, but the idea was a sound one. He tapped the datapad, making some minor adjustments to the plan as far as where the aliens should be staying. He would feel better if they were in with the soldiers, where he could ensure the civilian safety.

 

“If the aliens are as trustworthy as they seem--”

 

“The Pathfinder may be trustworthy, but the Initiative remains to be seen, Paraan Shie.” Evfra cut her off, annoyed. “They will have to prove themselves.”

 

“We can not treat every alien that walks in from the Initiative like an outsider if we become allies, Evfra.” She pointed out and he growled.

 

“They _are_ outsiders. You are too naive, Paraan Shie. We will see what happens with this Pathfinder first.”

 

“And you are _stubborn,_ and unyielding.”

 

“As I should be. Take your plans, Paraan. I will discuss this no further until we complete the mission to extract the Moshae.”

 

\----------

 

Nick was going _insane._ Sitting still was never something she did well.

 

“Sam, what is Viv doing?”

 

**SAM(Private):Viveka is currently eating breakfast with Mr. Ama Darav and Nakmor Drack. They are currently discussing scent and intimacy.**

 

“Uh...as in sex?”

 

**SAM(Private): Affirmative. Mr. Ama Darav and Nakmor Drack both have heightened senses of smell, and due to the intimate nature of Mr. Ama Darav and Viveka’s relationship, it has come into light that Mr. Ama Darav has yet to speak to Viveka’s family about courting.**

 

“Fucking no shit? Is she fucking the alien then?”

 

**SAM(Private): No. Their intimacy has not reached that point. Mr. Ama Darav and Viveka are both attempting to take their time.**

 

Sam paused as if in thought for a moment.

 

**SAM(Private): They are, however, progressing in their relationship at a much faster rate than anticipated.**

 

“So, you’re saying she’s _going to_ fuck the new alien, then.”

 

**SAM(Private): If they continue on their current course, yes, Nikita. Lexi T’Perro is excited about hearing the details of the union, as Angara are new to our databanks. We have already observed bioelectricity used both in courting and intimate encounters wi--**

 

“I don’t need the details, Sam. That’s fucking gross. Just tell me she’s going to fuck the alien.”

 

**SAM(Private): She’s going to fuck the alien.**

 

Nikita laughed heartily for the first time since she talked to Viveka.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are much appreciated, knowing you guys are reading keeps me writing!!

A rylkor roared as it charged forward, missing PeeBee by mere inches as she rolled away. PeeBee raised her pistols and shot it’s side, but it barely slowed the beast down as another two came charging out of a nearby cave.

 

“Fantastic.” Viveka said, rushing to intercept one as Jaal jolted forward with his bioelectrics to get to the other.

 

“Not really!” Jaal shouted as he grabbed the animal by the neck and threw it onto it’s side, shooting it directly into the head three times with his rifle.

 

“Sarcasm, Jelly Bean!” Ryder said as she jumped away from a bite and launched a throw, then bioticly charged the dinosaur-line animal. Jumping away, she narrowly missed a kick from it’s massive feet. Jaal sneered and lifted his rifle, shooting it in the head as he’d done the other.

 

“Hey, Vivi!” PeeBee said, dodging the Rylkor she was left to deal with.

 

“Yeah?” Ryder lifted her hand to send off a pull, but PeeBee was in the way.

 

“You humans had those animals that pulled stuff—horsies?”

 

“Horses. Yeah, why?”

 

“Is this really the time for this?” Jaal asked as he raised his own rifle. Before he could get a shot off, PeeBee had jumped onto the beast’s back and was holding on for dear life.

 

“ _Really,_ PeeBee? We _domesticated_ our animals. Well, I guess we tamed the horses into obeying us...” Ryder said, shaking her head as PeeBee squealed with delight.

 

“I’m gonna name him Sparkles!” PeeBee said as the beast turned it’s head and tried to bite her. “ _Crap!”_

 

Jaal’s bullet went right through an eye of the animal, splattering blood onto PeeBee. Viveka laughed.

 

“Aw, _Sparkles_! I’ll always remember you!” PeeBee said in false mourning and Jaal shook his head.

 

“ _Aliens.”_

 

“Hey! You happen to _enjoy_ alien company, thank you!” Viveka said with a smile as PeeBee went into the Rylkor nest and picked up a few eggs.

 

“I’m keeping these!”

 

“Whatever, Peebs, get them back to the ship if you want them so bad. Eggs usually need to be kept warm, you know.” Viveka said and PeeBee grinned, pulling out a device and activating it. It hovered over the nest as she placed the eggs back down.

 

“They’ll be nice and warm for when we’re done here!”

 

“Oh, lord. Peebs, you’re responsible for them. Like a mom. With babies.” Viveka said and PeeBee nodded happily.

 

“I’m gonna keep them _forever!”_

 

“As long as you are there when they hatch, they should bond with you.” Jaal said, shrugging. “They do need very specific diets, however, I will send their basic needs to you after the mission.”

 

“Angara have them as pets?” Viveka asked as they headed toward where they were meeting Taavos.

 

“Farmers keep them as pack animals and to ward off animals that would harm their crops.”

 

“Well, then, I want one, too, Peebs!”

 

“Yes, ma’am, Ryder, ma’am!”

 

“ _Aliens.”_

 

\-------

 

Taavos was waiting for them, shuffling his feet with anxiety when they got their. The two sets of memories were really messing with him. He didn’t know what to believe right now, especially since joining the Roekaar. He watched as the aliens and the angara with them defeated a Eiroch and a few cloaked beasts. They were strong, that was obvious. He just wished his friends hadn’t paid the price they had.

 

He’d made a few friends in the Roekaar, most of them younglings that were barely grown.

 

Akksul had told them to kill these aliens and the angaran traitor with them, but now he felt it wasn’t the right call. And yet, he did at the same time.

 

He didn’t know what to believe anymore.

 

His mind was confused.

 

They climbed up to him with ease, the blue alien splattered with blood. From the smell of it, a Rylkor.

 

“I see you’ve made it.” He said to them and Jaal nodded, stepping up beside Ryder.

 

“Yes. Have you remembered?” Jaal asked, his young eyes wide and curious.

 

“It..is here. I remember. Something.” Taavos turned around, his purple skin shimmering with the damp mist of the nearby waterfall. His eyes searched, knowing yet not. “It’s here. I just have to...” He closed his eyes, the dark black markings of the Roekaar on his face connecting as he closed his eyelids. He took a deep inhale of air and breathed out slowly. “It helps if I still my mind.”

 

Viveka walked up next to him, peering up at the tall older angara curiously.

 

“I’ve been here before. One, two, three indentations. Palm...here.” He looked down at a glowing remnant device and held his hand over it. He felt them, then, the indentations. One, by his foot. He shifted it and placed his the thumb of his foot in place. Two, in the light. One for his forefinger and the other for his thumb. He placed them there, and watched in awe as it worked.

 

A wall of remnant structures dropped down, revealing the third monolith before them. Inside were strange plants, dead remnant, and small glowing fluffy bugs reminiscent of fireflies.

 

Viveka stared on in wonder and excitement. PeeBee danced from foot to foot and Jaal looked at everything with some familiarity. Something felt wrong and right at the same time. It was strange.

 

It was exciting.

 

It was terrifying.

 

Jaal took Viveka’s hand as they stepped forward to follow Taavos and PeeBee inside.


	26. Chapter 26

“We’re so close to the others and no one found this one?” PeeBee asked as they began walking through the monolith. Glowing mushrooms crunched beneath her boots and glowing insects scattered.

 

SAM(Ground team): The rest of the remnant in the area may have prevented scans from detecting it.

 

Viveka swallowed thickly, looking at the stalagmites and stalactites of the cave, reminding her of the dragon teeth used by the geth. She shivered and gripped Jaal’s hand tighter. He looked over at her questioningly, but she dismissed the unspoken question. Dread filled her stomach and she shoved it down.

 

_Now is not the time to panic._

 

“There were remnant machines here, Zorai was able to make them stop.” Taavos said, his deep voice echoing off the cave walls. Ryder’s brow creased as she looked down at the inactive remnant. He was right. It wasn’t dead at all, just...inoperable.

 

“How did he learn to use remnant tech? It’s not like there’s a manual.” Viveka asked hesitantly.

 

“Zorai watched the watchers...That’s all I am getting. I am...not sure what that means.” Taavos answered, leaving more questions to be answered. Watchers? “The others….slept. Zorai...I stayed awake. Unmoving, but seeing. Learning.”

 

“Sounds like the stasis field around the first monolith…but Zorai was able to shake off the effects.” Viveka said, looking over to Jaal. “None of the scientists in the stasis field could remember...”

 

Taavos suddenly stopped and looked around what looked like a dead end. “Here...there is something here. I remember!” He turned to his right and ran, opening a wall like door. Beyond the door, scans showed something just below the dirt of the floor. Carefully dusting off the dirt, Viveka found a machine.

 

“Sam?”

 

SAM(Ground Team): It is an audio log. Playing file.

 

Audio log: Builder machines exhaust me. Body and mind must be fully engaged or the attempt fails. I can’t stop. Without the monoliths the vault fails. Without the vault the planet dies. I am close. Just...one more.

 

A woman’s voice filled the room, echoing as the audio file played. Her voice was tired, and Viveka could almost feel the fatigue eating away at her.

 

“The sages got it wrong...Zorai was a woman. That...that was her voice. M-my voice. May I have this, Pathfinder?” He asked, looking up from the machine. Viveka nodded.

 

“It’s yours...It...It’s always been yours.” Viveka said quietly, and Taavos cradled it in his hands as if it were a precious part of him he’d been missing.

 

SAM(Ground Team): Scans are showing more, Pathfinder. Organic matter. Ancient. Reads as Angara.

 

“Its...It’s Zorai.” Viveka said, and Jaal squeezed her hand in comfort while PeeBee took a step back from the impromptu grave.

 

“She died here.” Taavos murmured. “She died before she could get to the third monolith. This...This was _me.”_

 

“Taavos...” Viveka said, reaching a hand out to comfort him, but dropped it. She had to remember he was just recently Roekaar.

 

“I would like to spend some time here...But not now, the third monolith. It can’t be far. Come on.” Taavos said, straightening up and walking from the room. They followed quietly.

 

Jaal looked down at the grave with sadness as they left. Zorai was trying to save Havarl, and died doing so.

 

Taavos lead them back out into the dead end like area and turned down another path.

 

“This way?” She asked the dark purple angara and he nodded.

 

“Yes, it feels...familiar. Or, at least, I think it is.” He shrugged lightly, but lead them through another wall like door. Behind it lie a gravity well and a cliff. Looking over the cliff, PeeBee looked back at the gravity well with wide eyes.

 

“How far down does that _go_?”

 

“Only one way to find out.” Viveka said, reaching out to the gravity well.


	27. Chapter 27

The weightless feeling of the gravity well was slightly more unnerving when the walls of the cave gave way to an open cavern as they went down. One after another, they landed, the gravity field lifting from them with sparks. From where they stood, they could see the ghostly fog that filled the monolith, shielding it’s depths from view. It the distance a towering structure loomed, and Jaal felt as if there were eyes on him from. He tensed, as did Taavos nearby.

 

“This place is...creepy.” PeeBee said and Viveka nodded, looking around.

 

“There’s a path here, let’s keep moving.” Viveka said, pulling out a gun. The rest followed suit, and Taavos trailed behind stiffly. Before them lie a console, and Ryder took a deep breath before interfacing with it, ready in case any remnant machines popped up as they so often did.

 

Instead, the towering structure glowed, sending off a beam of light like any other monolith she’d interfaced with before. She sighed with relief.

 

“It’s done. You finished what Zorai could not, so long ago.” Taavos said next to her and Viveka looked over at him.

 

“I’m sorry, Taavos.”  
  
“There is nothing to be sorry about. Zorai may not have completed what she set out to do, but she did not fail.” He looked over at the remnant monolith, a small smile gracing his face. “The two monoliths she reactivated kept Havarl going. Without them, this planet would have died. Go on to the vault, Pathfinder. I think I’ll stay here. I...have much to think about.”

 

Viveka nodded, briefly touching his arm. “We’ll reactivate the vault, Taavos. When we’re done, I hope Zorai, and you, will be at peace.”

 

“I...appreciate that.”

 

\------------

 

Nick growled as the asari doctor scanned her legs, taking notes. “You can do some light leg exercises in bed, here’s a list of them. Harry and I will keep checking in to make sure you don’t over do it, though.”

 

“I fucking get it.” Nikita snapped, crossing her arms. “I don’t like having fucking babysitters.”

 

“If you didn’t constantly try to overachieve, you wouldn’t need them.” The asari said, typing some things in her datapad. “As the Pathfinder’s sister your health is of great concern to us.”

 

“Everyone’s fucking health should be of great concern to you, not just the god damned Pathfinder’s sister.” Nick growled out, her fingers digging into her arms. She hated doctors.

 

She hated staying in bed.

She hated this entire situation.

 

\--------------

 

It took several hours to get to the other side of the chasm and to the vault’s location. There, waiting for them, were several aggressive remnant. One had slammed into Viveka hard enough to throw her back before PeeBee took it out. She was sure it fractured a rib or two, but that didn’t matter right now.

 

Waving off the vocal concerns of Jaal, she opened the door to the vault and headed inside. The air inside smelled different. Sterile.

 

Taking a few cautious steps in, the three looked around. Everything seemed normal for a vault. A metal hall leading to a gravity chamber. Viveka’s stomach churned as if something wasn’t quite right.

 

Jaal seemed to feel it too, he was tense, gripping his rifle and looking around as they stepped up to the gravity well and activated it.

 

They were taken down a vertical hall of sorts, the metal walls clearly built for the gravity well travel. Lights lined the walls in strange glowing patterns that flashed by quickly as they dropped. They landed in a large metal room, which was, again, normal for any vault.

 

“Okay. Remnant vault. Let’s get this place up and running.” Viveka said, using her jump jets to get up to a console up on a platform.

 

“And remember the running part, because that’s important.” PeeBee quipped, hopping up beside her. Jaal took a moment to scan the area before leaping up and hoisting himself over the edge.

 

“Yeah, well, dying by death cloud isn’t on my to do list today, Peebs.”

 

“Crazy how that works, huh?” PeeBee said cheerfully as Ryder interfaced with the console. A metal grinding sound echoed through the vault and Ryder sighed.

 

“Well, turned the power on.”  
  
**SAM(Ground Team): You’ll need to locate the console to activate the purification field, Pathfinder.**

 

“Yeah, that’s a given, Sam. Thanks for your input.” Viveka said, rolling her eyes as she located a door. “Guys, this way!”

 

Just as she reached the door a whirring sound filled the room and several observers came in, lasers ready.

 

“We’ve got company!” Viveka shouted, and Jaal snorted.

 

“And they aren’t friendly!” PeeBee added, taking out two of the observers with her pistols.

 

“Are they _ever_ friendly?” Jaal asked, shooting down another.

 

Viveka shot out a throw and pull at the same time, ripping one apart. “These ones are surprisingly--” She got cut off as one shot her unarmored shoulder, causing her to hiss.

 

Jaal growled low and jumped up, grabbing the remnant and smashing it down to the ground before taking a blade to it. “Are you alright, Viveka?” He asked and she stood, nodding.

 

“I’m fine. Let’s keep going.” She approached to door again and Sam spoke up.

 

**SAM(Ground Team): Several consoles converge here. I will highlight the ones that you need.**

 

“Great.” Viveka said, looking over at the consoles Sam highlighted with navpoints. “Puzzles. Always with the puzzles.”

 

“Oh, oh! Let’s see here...” PeeBee said, dancing from foot to foot. “The way these are arranged, and the frequency they’re letting off….” She fiddled with her omnitool before pointing to one console. “That one first, then the one up there! And same on the other side, lower one first!”

 

“I hope you’re right and it’s not some weird trap.”

 

“Well, what would be the fun in always being right anyway?” PeeBee asked.

 

Jaal gave a snort. “Less fighting sounds much better than _more.”_

 

“Jelly Bean, you’re cute.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the Kudos and continued support! We've got some fun chapters ahead of us soon!

The doors opened into another room, which, according to Sam, had held the purification console. PeeBee did a quick sweep of the area, making sure to pick up anything she wanted to keep before they would have to start running. One of those things seemed to trigger a defense system, and Observers and Assemblers had popped up in numbers.

 

Jumping Assemblers made Breechers, several of which targeted Viveka right off the bat. Two had gotten to her, smashing her into a wall and knocking the breath out of her before she could throw down her annihilation field.

 

It took some time, but when they had taken down all the remnant bots Ryder finally walked up to the console.

 

“Get ready to run.” She said, holding her side where she could feel pain shooting through her.

 

_Don’t think about it._

 

As soon as she interfaced with the console, the large beam in the middle of the room shifted to an ominous red then cut off. On the other side of the room a dark sparking fog began to pour out of a newly opened door and they took off back the way they came.

 

The previous room was filled with Observers and Assemblers. Cursing, Viveka fired off her biotics at them, pulling them all in one place before the three opened fire on them as they ran past. Jaal and PeeBee finished them off as Viveka interfaced with the console, stopping the purification field.

 

“Jeez, that never gets less terrifying.” Viveka said and PeeBee grinned.

 

“Or _fun!”_

 

“You call running for your life _fun?”_ Jaal asked, looking over at the asari with confusion in his eyes. PeeBee and Viveka laughed.

 

“Adrenaline rush, for me anyway, when we’re in danger it’s almost like a stim. It’s addicting for some of us.” Viveka said.

 

Suddenly, their com systems blinked alive.

 

Kiiran Dals’ voice came through loud and clear. “Pathfinder Ryder? Are you there? All of our instruments just recorded a surge. What happened?”

 

Viveka smiled. “Vault’s back up. We did it.”

 

“That’s a jest...It can’t be.” The voice said before a clattering sound echoed through. “It _isn’t_ a jest. That would explain these readings. I can’t wait to hear all about this. Come back to Daar Palaav, we have so much to discuss!”

 

Ryder winced. “I need to get to my ship first. A little medical attention is needed.”

 

“Of course! We’ll wait for you here, Pathfinder.”

 

\------------

 

Evfra grunted as a message came to his private terminal. His bioelectrics reached out to it, scanning the data there. He froze.

 

From: Kiiran Dals

To: Evfra de Tershaav

 

The aliens, this Pathfinder and her team, they did it! The vault here is online! There is so much to discuss with her, I will contact you with more information later. The readings are off the charts, Commander. Havarl, it has been saved. Requesting permission to invite the aliens to research among us…

 

As he kept reading the message through his bioelectrics he became more irritated. The Pathfinder was certainly going above and beyond expectations. And, it would seem, she was becoming deeply invested in Jaal.

 

Jaal had not yet bed her—to his knowledge—but the two obviously were connected romantically, based on the video evidence of their continued interactions. It was odd to see the picture of the human curled into Jaal as they were sitting in her quarters as if she belonged there. Her breakdown over her sister, and Jaal’s coming to her aid showed a more angaran side to these aliens.

 

The photo of her after a battle, glowing with this...biotics. It was strange to see such a small creature surrounded by Remnant machines that had been destroyed by her.

 

These aliens were…odd. Curious as he was, Evfra didn’t mention the lack of video evidence from their recent nightly encounter. Jaal had stated they had been intimate, but not so much so that intercourse was involved. He wished to withhold the evidence due to Ryder’s human culture.

 

Apparently humans were shy when it came to such things.

 

Aliens were...odd.

 

\-----------

 

Jaal hovered as Lexi wrapped Ryder’s wounds. Her shoulder had a burn on it that would scar, and she’d fractured three ribs. A large bruise was forming on her side, and several abrasions were there, bleeding red. He didn’t care how embarrassed she was that he was there while she was topless, he’d insisted on staying. Holding her hand.   
  
Viveka had rolled her eyes at his worry, and Lexi explained that humans were much sturdier than the other races gave them credit for. Apparently humans could survive gunshot wounds to the head, being speared right through the abdomen, among other horrific things that would normally kill another race...with the exception of Krogan.

 

Viveka’s torso had multiple round scars on it—bullet wounds. They littered her back like stars, and Jaal couldn’t help but wonder where they came from. He’d seen a few before—on her right leg there was three on her outer thigh, but he had never seen the ones on her upper right back before. His hand gently touched them, and she flinched.

 

“If you want to know about those, ask Lexi. I don’t like the story.” Viveka had said to him, a shudder going through her.

 

He purred at her, but even his gentle purring she loved didn’t take the pain out of her eyes.

 

She was haunted by what had caused these scars.


	29. Chapter 29

PeeBee had gone out with Vetra to retrieve the Rylkor eggs, which was mildly exciting for the humans on the crew. Who hadn’t wanted a dinosaur pet as a kid?

 

According to Sam, the vault was preforming biological repairs, stabilizing the planet.

 

All good news.

 

After talking with Kiiran Dals and Taavos at Daar Pelaav, the Initiative was invited to create a small research outpost to work along side the Angara researchers. Viveka sent Cora to set things up for the outpost, and it had gone smoothly.

 

News from Veold said the outpost there was doing well, and Podromos and Nexus were both receiving a good quantity of fresh water. Podromos was beginning the first steps to farming.

 

Nick was finally listening to the doctors, and would be in a hover chair in just a few days.

 

Everything was going wonderfully, and Viveka felt confident she’d taken the right steps.

 

Suvi was happily experimenting with Havarl plant life that was deemed safe for consumption by Angara for Angara. Drack had filled the freezing unit in storage with a plethora of meat from Havarl’s wildlife. Fruits and vegetables were dehydrated in a specialized unit in the cargo bay for cooking, and Drack had made a batch of nutrient paste from some of the fruits and stored it in the fridge for Jaal.

 

With preparations underway to leave the planet, Jaal and Ryder both sent off detailed reports to Evfra with Kallo having the go ahead to lift off once all crew members had finished up business.

 

It was a nice evening. The rescued Turians were happy to help where ever they could. Many had picked up dextro friendly herbs and vegetables for Drack from Havarl’s surface. A few helped Cora’s dextro-based plants by adjusting lighting and water. One had had a copy of fleet and flotilla for Liam’s movie night, excited to contribute in her own way. The large Turian that Gil had taken to was constantly monitoring the others, strictly ensuring they did not cause any accidents with the other crew members.

 

Dinner that night was a feast of mixed foods that was spread all over the ship. Not everyone could fit in the mess at the moment, and so the Tempest held almost a dinner party like atmosphere. Everyone mingled, and at some point someone popped on some music.

 

Viveka was a sight to behold, being passed around from dance partner to dance partner. Her fluid grace in the cargo hold’s floor caused a cheerful enthusiam. Liam was an awkward dancer, but somehow, Viveka had gotten him to dance with ease. PeeBee was always a bump and grind girl, and Viveka had no problems showing her some salsa moves, which was a hit with the Turians on board.

 

Vetra had stayed back, telling a story about how she was once a hired dancer...for all of a few minutes. She’d somehow tripped, caused a bar fight, and gotten turned into a bartender after that. Apparently Aria T’Loak was not too displeased by her actions, as the few that died had been causing her issues.

 

Cora stayed back with Vetra, laughing and talking about dancing with her Asari Commando unit.

 

Jaal, eventually, danced with Viveka. She showed him how to twirl her, and the steps for a simple salsa dance. It was exciting, and the way she laughed when he twirled her was enthralling.

 

Drack and Lexi even took to the dancing, his big booming laugh echoed by her lighter ones.

 

It was a great way to end the mission to Havarl. With their worries pushed aside for the evening, and the Tempest on the way to the Nexus, everyone simply enjoyed good company.

 

 


	30. Chapter 30

Viveka hummed as she snuggled closer to Jaal. Usually she would have been awake first, but today Jaal had woken up before her. He carefully looked at her bandages to make sure they didn’t need changing before he allowed himself to relax. A hand on her hip, and another in her hair, he gently held her. She was so small.

 

It often worried him how small she really was, barely five foot she was so tiny in comparison to himself. Small and so soft. His rough fingers brushed the skin of her waist where her small workout shirt didn’t cover. His fingers trailed to her back, exploring her spine as he pressed a kiss to her hairline.

 

She was healing well, according to Sam, though her bruised side was an awful purple-green mess. It certainly didn’t look like she was healing well, but Jaal didn’t know enough about her biological processes to say anything. The dancing from the night before had hurt her a bit, but she’d had fun.

 

He was glad to see her relax. She needed it after Havarl.

 

His bioelectrics poured into her, a soothing rhythm of affection and appreciation. He was glad to have these quiet moments with her, just the two of them. Her arms were tucked up against her chest, and her legs tangled with his in a now familiar way.

 

He couldn’t imagine sleeping without her tucked in close to him now.

 

They’d come such a long way in such a short time, and he knew he was tangled up in everything that was her. From the dark strands of her hair that had a blue sheen to them when the light hit them _just right._ Right down to her too-many toes that curled when he kissed her.

 

It was an involuntary response, the toe curling. One he found he enjoyed evoking from her.

 

She really was _beautiful._

 

It was a strange thing, to find this alien so attractive. Her lips didn’t have the plumpness of an Angara female, but they were softer, and he found he enjoyed that softness more. Her hips were fleshy and round, a stark contrast to the hard hips of the average Angaran female. One he readily enjoyed. Those breasts of hers, unlike the hard cartilage on Angara, were something he was excited to explore when he allowed him. The novels he’d been reading mentioned how sensitive they could be, and he longed to take one into his mouth as he’d read about so many times.

 

His thoughts had heat building between his legs and he sighed. He would have to take care of himself in the shower again, it was becoming more frequent now that he slept in her bed surrounded by her scent.

 

He felt like a youngling struggling with their first taste of a woman.

 

\-------------

 

Nick was _bored._

 

She’d done her exercises, she’d done her breathing techniques, she’d even read some of Alec’s old books.

 

“Sam. What’s Viveka up to?”

 

**SAM(Private): Viveka is currently waking up for the day, as Mr. Ama Darav has brought her breakfast and coffee.**

 

“Patch me through to her personal terminal.”

 

A few seconds went by before Viveka’s face appeared on the omnitool’s screen. “Hey, Nick!”

 

“Hello, sister of my darling one!” Jaal greeted from behind Viveka as he set down a mug in front of her, placing a nauseatingly affectionate kiss to Viveka’s temple.

 

“So, I see the purple prince wonder is taking care of your _needs.”_ Nick said, causing Viveka to flush red.

 

“Nikita! Jaal and I haven’t—we’re— _shut up_!” Viveka said as the male behind her chuckled.

 

“We have not yet reached taking care of such _stimulating_ _needs.”_ He said before dropping his head to whisper something in Viveka’s ear. She flushed scarlet and glared at him.

 

“I’m going to _bite_ you.” Viveka said to the angara and he grinned.

 

“I look _forward_ to it, dear one.” He purred out before turning his back and walking away. “I must speak to Evfra, I will see you later, Taoshay!”

 

“What the fuck does Taoshay even _mean?”_ Nikita asked and Jaal stopped in his tracks, looking over at Viveka with hooded eyes. “With the look the purple prince wonder is giving you, I don’t know if I fucking even want to know.”

 

Viveka cleared her throat and smiled. “It’s an endearment for a...partner. Um, romantically.”

 

“It is much _more_ than that, Taoshay. Darling one, it is for you and only you. You are my _everything._ My light, my--”

 

“Oh, fuck, is he spouting fucking poetry now?” Nick asked, wrinkling her nose. Viveka laughed.

 

“Jelly Bean is a romantic, and he is _wonderful_ with his words, I’ll have you know.” Viveka said, looking over her shoulder at the angaran who grinned and turned to leave the room. “The things that he says sometimes, Nick. He makes me feel special.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Fucking gross. Sam told me you were on your way here?”

 

“Yep! We’re dropping off some Turians and heading off to Aya to plan. Are you doing okay? How’s the legs healing up?”

 

Nikita shifted, annoyed. “Fucking doctors won’t let me out of the damn bed, Viv. It’s fucking driving me crazy. And they put me in Alec’s fucking stupid ass room. Like I want to be surrounded with his _shit.”_

 

“Dad...well, we’ll never agree on him. You didn’t answer my question, though.” Viveka said, taking a sip of her coffee and then a bite of something Nick couldn’t see. “I want to know how your legs are doing. Are you healing up well?”

 

“I’ll be in a hoverchair by tomorrow if I fucking don’t try to do _anything.”_ Nick grouched with a frown. “I can’t wait to be able to fucking take a piss without that fucking asari there trying to hold my god damned hand.”

 

“Well, the sooner you get cleared for duty the sooner you can find _yourself_ a nice purple prince wonder.” Viveka giggled out and Nick glared.

 

“I would fucking shoot myself.”

 

“He’s wonderful. I think you could use someone so honest with themselves.”

 

“I think you fill my quota of fucks I give about people in general, Viv. You’re really into this guy aren’t you? I haven’t seen you so fucking over the moon since Tiran.”

 

“Tiran doesn’t even compare, I think.” Viveka fiddled with her cup with a thoughtful expression. “But, I’m still kind of...worried? I’m not exactly the stable relationship type anymore, you know that.”

 

Nick snorted. “You keep telling yourself those lies, Viv. You’re definitely housewife material.”

 

“I think I’d go crazy being in a house all day.” Viveka groaned, leaning back in her chair. “What if that’s what he wants, though? Like, I can’t be a homemaker.”

 

“You fucking don’t even know?”

 

“Uh...about that. We’re like hanging in this gray area of relationship and not? Like, nothing is official...”

 

“He says you’re his fucking _everything. How much more clear can that fucking get?”_

 

“...I don’t know? I...I don’t know. It’s...weird. Like, I really want to be with him, like, all the time. I want to leave everything behind and just...you know...be a normal couple with him. But, there’s so much stuff I need to do and our races aren’t even officially allies yet and...I don’t know Nick.”

 

“You’re fucking stupid. Fuck. Just go tell the poor guy you fucking want to fuck him already.” Nick said, rolling her eyes and Viveka blushed.

 

“You’re a jerk.”

 

“And you’re a stupid fuck. What’s new?”

 

“Well...aside from my relationship status up in the air...” Viveka began telling Nick about her adventures on Havarl.

 

\-------------

 

“I send you to watch the aliens, and you’re in bed with their Pathfinder. You are an imbecile, Jaal. What if she was an enemy? What if you have to kill her?” Evfra snapped and Jaal winced.

 

“If she was a threat to us, I would. If Viveka were such, she would be far from who I have come to know, Evfra. She is...kind.”

 

“So I’ve seen from your reports. _If_ they are indeed accurate about her and not some fool’s damned imaginings of alien _skutting romance!”_

 

“They are accurate, Evfra. I would not be so fool hardy as to--”  
  
“You would! You skutting fool boy! You’ve already skutting sent me reports filled with your _feelings about her!_ I am not here to support your taste in bedmates, Jaal! I am your Commander.” He sighed and rubbed his brow. “If all goes well with the Kett Facility infiltration, we can form a skutting alliance with them. However, I need you to be more cautious, Jaal Ama Darav. At least, until then. We can not trust them, fully. Not yet. Your alien bedmate has shown promise, I am not saying she has not. However, it will be up to the others to show we can trust them, as well. We can not afford _not_ to be cautious about this.”

 

Jaal bowed his head and nodded. “I share Ushior with her, Evfra.” He said quietly and Evfra growled.

 

“With an alien? Are you skutting out of your skutting mind?!”

 

Jaal shook his head. “It is her biotics, you can see it in the footage I sent you. It is...strong, Evfra.”

 

“Skkut. So your research on her race and ours wasn’t just out of skutting curiosity?”

 

“No.”

 

“Skkut. I...can not push the alliance for you, Jaal. I need you to understand that. We need to keep our own safe.”

 

Jaal nodded, fiddling with his fingers. “I know. She will prove herself to you, Evfra, I know it. She is...She is an impossible creature.” He laughed softly and smiled. “For all her softness, she fights like an Einroch in heat. She...I know she will see to it that her people and ours have an alliance.”

 

Evfra sighed. “Skutting stars, why did I send you? I should have gone myself.”

 

Jaal grinned at his commander. “Because I was meant to be here, with her.”

 

Evfra made a disgusted noise in his throat, causing Jaal to laugh.


	31. Chapter 31

 

Nikita was able to slowly move from the bed and into the hover chair without help, which had Harry break out in a smile. The hover chair was fairly comfortable, with soft seating and a pillowed back to it. It was rounded off on the bottom, using asari mass effect field technology to float a good foot off the ground. The right arm held a holo-screen style computer that acted as a communication system and steering. The left arm had a hidden tray for meals, a cup holder, and storage.

 

All in all, it was one of more the expensive models.

 

Getting use to the steering wasn’t hard, and with the recliner design added she could lift her legs up and down as light muscle exercise.

 

“Now that you’re in the chair, we can work on getting you cleared for light duty work.” Harry said, bringing up a datapad. “I need to get clearance with your sister once she gets here, but I think we can even get you planet side. Maybe Eos.”

 

“That would be fan- _fucking_ -tastic. I want to get off this station before I go fucking bat-shit.”

 

“We don’t want that. Oh, I know! Let me go talk to a few people and see what we can get you doing in the mean time, I know you’re a workaholic. Having a job will help until your sister gets back.”

 

“Fucking Tann asked you to do it, didn’t he? The fucking conniving bastard thinks he’s being fucking slick as shit. He’s a fucking idiot.”

 

Harry winced. “Tann knows you’re a great asset and doesn’t want you upset. He wanted you on security once you were better, but I know that’d just drive you up the wall.”

 

“Damn right.”

 

“Well, you could do desk work for security until the Pathfinder comes and sorts things out with him.”

 

“Fucking paperwork? Fine. Fuck. She’s only a few days out anyway and I’ll get the fuck out.”

 

\----

 

Viveka laughed as Liam fumbled with parts of the Nomad. He’d decided to work on the engine, a past time he enjoyed doing with cars back on Earth with his family. Vetra was helping, being much more efficient at working with the Nomad’s design than Liam.

 

“So, you two worked out your problems, I take it?” Viveka asked and Vetra hummed an affirmative.

 

Liam gave a small laugh as he grabbed a tool. “More like an agree to disagree arrangement. I don’t think we’ll ever really be able to see eye to eye.”

 

“Which is fine, I’m use to that with people.” Vetra said, wiping her talons off on a nearby rag. “Understanding comes from experience, and neither of us has walked in each other’s shoes.”

 

Liam snickered. “I don’t think you’d fit in my shoes anyway.” He said, laughing. Vetra rolled her eyes.

 

“As long as you two aren’t at each other’s necks anymore, I’m happy. I was worried I’d have to lock you two in a closet together.” Viveka said and Liam leaned over the Nomad with a loud laugh.

 

“We might have killed each other if you did that!”

 

“Nah, I’d have killed you and pretended you passed out until I could dump your body.” Vetra remarked, causing Liam to look at her incredulously. She laughed. “I’m kidding, murder isn’t good for business.”

 

“You’d just dump my body! I thought we were friends, Vetra!” Liam said in mock horror as Vetra’s mandibles spread in a wide grin.

 

“Hey, I’d find a nice beach for you to rest. Somewhere tropical.” She said, her subharmonics warbling in a laugh.

 

“You did say you wanted a beach side home, Liam. She’d just give you a more permanent one than planned.” Viveka said, and Liam threw his rag at her.

 

“You’re both terrible!”

 

\---------

 

Jaal jerked back his hand when he accidentally touched the still too-hot welding of his work. He had been working on this on and off for sometime now, often having to stow it away before Viveka came strolling though. He’d even had SAM discreetly slow the door’s openning mechanism so he could do so.

 

Viveka wasn’t happy about the door, but thought it was more of a fault in the ship’s design acting up. He didn’t correct her grumblings, instead always distracting her with a well placed zap of his bioelectrics or kiss.

 

Her skin was so soft. The scent of her drove him wild, and the taste of her sweat on his tongue was almost enough to drive him over the edge. They’d shared a few moments of intimacy now, and he craved for more. His showers were becoming longer, and he felt like a youngling with how often he had to take care of his need.

 

He chuckled, shaking his head as he got back to work.

 

Even without her physically in front of him she was distracting.

 

A delicious distraction, one that he would very much welcome into his bed if she’d be willing, but he knew it was too soon for her. He licked his lips as he clipped a part into place, wondering if she’d allow him to take care of her need. She smelled so enticing the night she had been in his lap, panting and moaning as she’d rocked against him.

 

He cursed as he burned his finger, shaking his hand in the air.

 

_Skutting stars, she’s too distracting. I can’t focus._

 

He sighed and leaned away from the workbench, absently running a hand down to his obvious arousal. The small amount of pressure made him purr. He needed to go take another shower.

 

\-------

 

Cora stretched, raising her hands into the air as she curled her back. The calmness in the biolab was soothing, and she often found herself there tending plants. Today, however, she was in the crew quarters updating her personal logs. It’d been a while since she’d taken the time to do this.

 

She was glad Podromos was doing well. They were finishing up preparations for planting crops, and they had begun work on filtering and recycling of water. If all went well, they would be able to get a farming outpost up within a few years. Eos’s warmer climate would mean they’d likely need to put up greenhouses, she hoped they were doing so.

 

The research outpost had discovered an upgrade to the mass effect drive cores in ships, something Gil and Kallo both could appreciate if Kallo would bend a bit. By working together, they could probably enhance the designs further, but that was a challenge she wasn’t willing to take on. She definitely didn’t think Viveka was ready to step between them, either.

 

Not that anyone could really handle the two. She was coming to trust Viveka’s judgment, but for how long will that last? Was she just lucky? Seemed like it. She charged into everything seemingly head first without a plan. It was something Cora could never understand, she always planned ahead.

 

The Angara envoy was entranced by the Pathfinder, and it was something she could completely understand doing. Seduce the envoy as a means to an end, or, that’s what her commando training told her. Asari did this regularly with a potential ally. Sex had power. A lot of it.

 

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if Ryder was doing it on purpose. Those shy blushes, a brush of the knuckles, the pet names, the tentative holding of hands when she thought no one was looking. It was like she really had feelings for the Angara.

 

Did she?

 

No. No, they’d only known him a few short weeks now.

 

It wasn’t possible.

 

…Right?

 

God she hoped she was right.

 


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art is mine(KittenBlueStudios) Don't ask. I just...draw things.

Nick sighed as she poured over the data pads she was given. Desk jobs were particularly boring. She was a fighter, not someone who could sit around for long periods only wishing she could punch very specific people in the face without an incident.

 

Tann was not worthy of her trust, she could see that right away. He looked down on other races as if Salarians were superior. She admired Salarian intellect and their ability to use it, but Tann was an awkwardly placed official that had no idea how to run things. He’d put up a front, but he was ultimately useless when it came to talking to others.

 

She was sure Viveka had learned how to manipulate him to her needs already, just as she had. Stroke his ego and mention his position and he’d be too proud to counter demands...usually. He trusted in others making decisions for him, which was probably the better choice in most cases. Not in others.

 

She’d already reviewed the uprising incident through various reports and decided that Spender—the bastard—was someone she’d have to look into. He promised the Krogan things unsanctioned. He had money coming in from seemingly no where. He was rude and arrogant to everyone, all while maintaining a front of business when working with Tann and Addison.

 

The purchases he made were outrageous _and_ illogical.

 

She was sure there was more to his purchases, more illegal ones that she couldn’t trace.

 

What she could possibly trace was the random credits flowing into his account at random times. That was her first step. By no means was she suppose to be investigating, she was suppose to be typing up a history of events that had happened during the uprising.

 

She couldn’t help but feel Sloane Kelly had made the right choice in leaving. The Krogan, too.

 

Tann’s idea to mitigate the usage of supplies were well founded, at the time, but the delivery of the news was atrocious. He was not a people person. He was in a position where he needed to be, and couldn’t be. His hard truths came out as demands. His tyrannical thinking lead to corruption of power. His background gave him no solid foothold to work with in his new job, and that in itself was bad news.

 

Addison wasn’t much of a people person either. She was blunt and straight forward, but also secretive. She didn’t trust easily, which was fine, but she _showed_ it in terribly executed ways. And those she did trust...well.

 

She trusted Spender. And that was a huge misstep on her part.

 

Nikita was sure of it. Kandros doubts her, but she was positive this needed looking into. Tiran and her never saw eye to eye, ever since he had hurt Viveka in an irreversible way. She knew he was sorry for it, but it was no excuse. He should have done more. He should have thought of Viveka more.

 

But that was besides the point. He was wary of her findings, specifically because it was her.

 

She’d have to talk to him more and convince him to allow her access to security archives. There was information she was missing. She needed it.

 

She wondered if she could make it seem for the archives of the uprising. He couldn’t say what she found was irrelevant then. Maybe talking to Kesh would do her a better service than talking to Kandros. Kesh had access to trade facts, and probably tried to keep a watchful eye on Spender. He was, after all, the primary reason for the Krogan people having to leave the Nexus. It would be a logical and smart thing to do.

 

Another issue was Kett defenses. If they were to raid the Nexus now there would be no pushing them back. They’d be doomed to failure.

 

Something else she’d need to talk to Kandros about. She sighed again.

 

“This is fucking _bullshit_.”

 

**\-----**

 

 

PeeBee’s research was finally coming together, and she was excited about it. Her mind was a whirl with the whispers of new information. She was ecstatic. Bit by bit she’d pulled together the technology required to complete her current project. The numbers fit, the simulations were promising, and she only needed one more piece of material to do it.

 

She would get that piece from Veold they’d missed out on running from the cloud of death last time.

 

She needed it. She knew she needed it.

 

From the components of previous Rem Tech, she was able to get most of what she needed done.

 

She was still bummed that the devices were not a symbol of authority. That would have been great. She could have gone into _any_ Vault _anytime_ she wanted to.

 

Sad, but this was more challenging at least. She liked challenges.

 

Not really. She liked doing things the easy way a lot of the time.

 

But she did like this challenge! This was a good challenge.

 

Until then, the project lie on her work bench unmoving, still missing parts. She enjoyed the green lights against black metal, but that was for herself. The white metal with gleaming blue lights would be for the Pathfinder. She knew she’d put it to good use. Looking over at the time, she tread to the Bio Lab, checking in on the Rylkor eggs.

 

Still good and warm. If she pressed her hand to the eggs she could feel movement. That was good.

 

When they docked she’d need to get supplies for the hatchlings, also collars and leashes. Possibly make a muzzle.

 

She wouldn’t know exactly how big they were, not without examining the inside of the eggs. Such a move could prove disastrous, and she didn’t want to risk it. Breaking the egg at the air pocket was the logical plan, but that sometimes resulted in failure with creatures she _did_ know about. She couldn’t risk killing the two Rylkor chicks.

 

_Babies. Things. Whatever they were._

 

_Rylettes?_

 

_No, that sounded silly._

 

_Korlettes? Rittens? A kitten mixed with a Rylkor would be terrible...or amazing. No, no. Stop thinking about splicing dna. That would be bad._

 

She shouldn’t.

 

They’d just be chicks for now.

 

Rittens sounded _really_ cute if you liked the thought of scaled kitties.

 

_No. You’re crazy. Stop thinking like that. Focus. Okay, Rylkor were omnivorous and ate a lot of the same foods as Angara. Do not try human avacado. Those things were poison. To Asari, Salarian, Turian, Quarian, and Angara….as well as a good majority of earth creatures._

 

_Humans were crazy._

 

_She liked crazy._

 

_She liked Vivi a lot._

 

_Stop. Stop being clingy and focus._

 

_Jaal wasn’t bad either, he’d be amazing in bed._ She could just see it. He was a giver not a taker.

 

_Well, he’d certainly be taking Vivi’s orgasms...just...Stop._

 

_She totally needed to bug Vivi’s room. No. That was bad._

 

_Rylkor. Yeah. Them. Focus. Stop being such a typical maiden._

 

_Vivi’s boobs were really nice. Was her sister into girls? Or at least Asari? The humans saw them as girls, but being monogendered kind of eliminated the need for gender specifics. Huh._

 

Was she a girl? Well, she could give birth and have sex like a human woman could. Still, the humans assigned them the ‘she’ ‘her’ designation, the Asari had no such words. They were just...Asari. Translators were funny. She was glad she could understand Galactic Human Standard.

 

English, it was called on Earth. She also learned Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese from the human world. Krogan had several different languages, too, but one primary one that all of them spoke. She was fluent in most. Asari had 17 different languages, two of them being their Primary languages. She spoke them all. Turian only had one language. It was strange, consisting of growls, subvocals, clicks, and whistles. She was _not_ fluent in that one. Salarian had a primary language she knew, but she didn’t care to learn the rest. Salarians were rarely worth the effort, in her opinion. While some of them were really interesting to talk to, the sex was _really_ bland.

 

Sex sounded really good right now.

 

 

**\----**

 

Why was Jaal taking a shower in the middle of the day cycle? He didn’t usually do that, did he?

 

She always ran into him at night, in or out of the showers before he ended up in her room later.

 

_Did he take two a day? Sometimes?_

 

She stirred her tea and looked at the closed bathroom doors across the hall curiously.

 

And blushed.

 

Nope, she wasn’t going to let him know she noticed his change of habits. Nope. That would be too much fun for him. Like when he walked out of the bathroom with only a towel covering him up. He knew it resulted in her becoming a red babbling mess.

 

_No, no. Don’t think about that._

 

_Too late._

 

She sipped at her tea and Drack blinked at her with curiosity before he turned his gaze to the bathroom with a small smile. He didn’t say anything, but she knew he knew what she was thinking about.

 

Why did she have to go and start thinking of Jelly Bean like that? Why?

 

_I adore you._

 

_Dear one._

 

_Taoshay._

 

_You are the star that guides my path._

 

_Oh. Yeah. That. No one could blame her for liking him after all that. Right. Yeah._

 

_Okay, stop thinking about him on the couch._ With her. In his lap.

 

She dropped her cup in the sink and scampered out of the kitchen before Jaal came out of the bathroom. _Nope. Nope._ She went into her room and dove under the covers.

 

\--------

 

Vetra had a long list of reasons to stay away from Suvi. One, her voice was _really_ nice. Two, _she_ was _really_ nice. Three, she was a _good_ person.

 

Vetra was not really a good person. She manipulated others, did backroom deals, blackmailed, hell, she’d killed other not-so-nice people that probably didn’t really deserve it. She understood this. She was a gray area in a world where too many saw in black and white.

 

Suvi was someone who saw gray. She understood and was nonjudgmental about gray.

 

Vetra didn’t know what to do with that. She didn’t know what to do with her _feelings_ about the human woman. She obviously _liked_ women. That much was apparent when she told her story of trying to look up Jien Garson’s dress. But, a human woman was _much_ different from a turian woman.

 

_Not a chance, Vetra. Stay calm and silent and away from Suvi. That’s how we get through this. Now, where was that supply list?_

 

\-------

 

“Hey, Jelly Bean, you wanted to see me?”

 

_Do not mention you were thinking about him in the shower, Viveka S. Ryder. Do not think about it. Too late. Drack naked! Good. Keep that thought. Stay within the nude Krogan bubble of protection._

 

“I...have been...hm...” He paused, trying to think of how to say this. She cocked her head to the side in confusion when he didn’t start speaking. He laughed. “I am nervous. And...excited. Yes. Excited. I made you something. I very much hope you like it, but you do not have to. Hm. I...will understand if you do not. I --”

 

“Jelly Bean, calm down.” Viveka said, grinning. “I _love_ surprises! Show me!”

 

_Ah. Yes. Skutting stars_ _I should not be so nervous._

 

He held his project up for her to see, and she blinked up at the new shoulder set pieces he’d hand crafted. The shoulders were lined with the same metal of her favored armor set, one that she could set the colors to through Sam. The majority of the shoulder piece was curved to cup her shoulder, a smooth glass surface covered in the same technology as the ship’s windows. They’d be virtually unbreakable. Beneath the plane of glass she could see another layer of metal, just in case. The inside was lined perfectly, not only would they fit her shoulders, she would be completely comfortable. Draping down from the back was a cape, in not so vibrant splatters of pinks and blues, a shimmering technology imbued in the fabric itself. The front of the shoulder each had one piece of fabric, which would drape by her sides.

 

It clicked then, he’d made her a _rofjinn_. A rofjinn suited for her lifestyle.

 

It was endearing, beautiful, and such an amazing thing to be given. Rofjinn were telling of status in the Resistance, this one was designed similar to Jaal’s, but different without the side panels of his poncho-like Rofjinn. When she asked why, it was because she was above him, as she should be in his eyes. Always. She argued with him halfheartedly, letting him know that in her eyes they were equals, but knew that he didn’t want to see it that way. He _enjoyed_ his place, whether it be beneath her in command or in their relationship. He pushed her in their relationship, yes, but he _enjoyed_ pushing her boundaries and discovering a path around her defenses.

 

She tried it on, securing it safely in place and moving around to see how well it handled movement.

 

It was _perfect_ . It was _amazing._

 

And Viveka couldn’t help but reach up, pulling him down for a deep kiss for the present he’d spent such care in making. His hand on her back, his hand on her cheek, and her hands splayed across his bared chest, she pressed into him. She allowed her fingers to roam, drinking in the feel of his smooth skin. Her blind exploring only causing him to _moan_ and _growl_ into her mouth. She treasured the feel of it, the sound of it. When her fingers slid up and pressed softly against his cowl, he pulled away from the kiss with a deep and throaty growl that was accented by a wave of bio electrics. The tingle-pop sensation reminded her of the more heavy activities they’d had on her couch, and blushing she looked up at him with a small smile.

 

He chuckled and smiled back, knowing that she had found some embarrassment in their affections. It was like her to be so. She was shy at times like this, as if she were given something more than a kiss. She enjoyed and treasured their time, as did he, and in time she would become more open and available to him. He could feel it in the way she touched him, how tempting it was for both of them to simply dive right into sex. He pressed his lips to her hairline, his purr content as her hands drifted back down, her finger tips lingering on his abs as she pulled her hands away.

 

Yes, she was tempted.

 

He was tempted.

 

That is why they had to stop...for now.

 

“Taoshay.” He whispered huskily and she leaned forward, pressing her face to his chest and wrapping her small arms around his waist. He curled over her, his nose finding her hair as he held her.

 

He adored her. Every piece of her.

 

It was torturous and beautiful and exciting and he just wanted to stay like this, tangled up in each other, forever.

 

No, he wanted to do much more.

 

Still, he _felt_ like he wanted to stay like this forever. He wanted the mixed scent of sweet paripo, flowers, and something spicy he could never place to cling to his skin, seep into his blood and never leave. He wanted to always smell of her, and _her_ of _him_. The longing for it was thick and heady, draping over him and covering him like a blanket.

 

And when she kissed his bare chest, he couldn’t help but fall back into the wall behind him, his legs shaking as she smiled up at him with her cheek still pressed to his skin.

 

_She enjoyed that._ She liked that she had such power over him. To bring him crashing down to the ground, if she so desired.

 

_I enjoy that, too._ Giving her complete power over him was in a way greedy. He didn’t resist. He didn’t _want_ to. If she made him weak in the knees, he would gladly fall. If she wished to touch him in order to do so, kiss his bare skin, it was _worth_ it.

 

Still, he knew she liked him to push back when it came to these things, make it a game.

 

A game he enjoyed. He growled at her in a playful way, pushing up off the wall. He lifted her and brought her to his cot, ignoring her squeak as he lay her down and he lay beside her, bringing her up so she could look into his eyes. His hands hands on the back of her head and lower back, he kissed her again. It was a greedy kiss, for both of them.

 

She was powerful, beautiful, kind, and _so tempting._

 

Pleading whimpers were drowned out by kisses. He _couldn’t_ hear her beg for more now, she wasn’t ready. He wasn’t sure _he_ was truly ready. Her scent was maddening, but he knew they _must_ stop.

 

He couldn’t push her. Not in this. He wouldn’t.

 

And he didn’t. It took time for them to cool down from the heated exchange, and him chuckling about her having not taken off the armor yet for them to find a blissful point of chaste kisses and cuddles on his cot. She’d eventually take off the shoulder pieces...eventually.

 

But for now, she didn’t want to. She wanted to be wrapped up in his gift and let him have the attention she felt he deserved. _He would always deserve._

 

 


	33. Chapter 33

Drack was becoming increasingly irritated. He watched as the cause of his irritation entered the bathroom—for the second day in a row, during the day, to get himself off in the shower. Everyone had a right to privacy, and their own sexual habits are their own. However, the Angara didn’t seem to understand exactly how sensitive his sense of smell was. He’d mentioned it to both Jaal and Viv before, in order to avoid this...mess. Obviously, Jaal didn’t understand. 

 

Shame the boy was so dense.

 

Now he was going to have to tell the kid to make it stop. It wasn’t that he had anything against him jerking it, he was a boy who was in a nonsexual relationship. He’d have to sometime, but he didn’t have to  _all_ the time. He needed to keep his stink in the Tech Lab for a while. 

 

To let it  _clear._

 

He was going to have to ask SAM to put in a requisition order for parts to make the bathroom vent straight into the Tech Lab or something. 

 

Or a higher powered air sterilization system for the bathroom. 

 

He grunted and stirred the stews. Cooking for a diverse crew was fun, usually, but the damn stink of another male’s pheromones was nauseating.   
  
When Ryder strode in he gave a growling huff, knowing she’d notice. 

 

“You okay, gramps?” She asked, grabbing a mug to make tea for herself.   
  
“No. Your damned Angara has his stink everywhere.” He looked at her, and she looked confused. 

 

“Well...he kinda lives here, too?” She said, cocking her head. Drack shook his head with an annoyed growl. 

  
“Look, kid, you gotta tell that boyfriend of yours to stop jerkin’ it in the bathroom every day. He’s gotta cool it or I’m going to start going into Krogan anger fits the like you two ain’t ever seen.” Drack snapped, tossing some fruit into a pot and turning on the heat. Jaal ate fruits almost exclusively. 

 

“Wait. Stop. Hold up. I ...need to process what you just said.” She said, blinking as a blush rose up her neck. All too soon her entire face was red. “He’s what?! And you want me to talk to him about this?! Oh, Jesus. Oh god. No. No, I can’t.” She sat down at the table with her empty mug and covered her face. “I can’t talk to him about… _that!”_

 

“Fuckin’ hell, kid, you two already let off so much stink just being around each other, I don’t need him fucking ruining my appetite _every day.”_

 

“I KNOW! B-but I cant! We—Nooooonononono.” Her blush got darker and she looked like she was going to _cry._

 

_Damn it._

 

“Fine. If you’re not going to, then I will. Stir the pots.” Drack growled as he stalked out of the Mess. Ryder blinked, jumping up to stir the pots.   
  
“You’re going to—NOW?!”

 

“Damn right I am, kid.”

 

“Oh, Jesus.”

 

Drack stomped over to the bathroom, and raised his fist to pound on the door but was interrupted.

 

**SAM: Mr. Ama Darav is currently occupied. Would you like me to relay a message?**

 

Drack bared his teeth at the disembodied voice, glaring at the door. “You tell him to cut his shit out. I won’t be stunk out of the kitchen because he can’t keep his hands off his own dick.”

 

**SAM: I will inform Mr. Ama Darav of your discomfort with his personal activities.**

 

“Yeah, you do that. Fucking kids, no damn respect.”

 

\------

 

** S AM: Mr. Ama Darav? **

 

Jaal jumped, groaning as he released his member and placed both hands on the shower. It did not feel right to pleasure himself in anyone’s company, except maybe _her’s._ The thought of her watching just made him ache more.   
  
“Yes, Sam?” He asked, looking down at the water swirling down the drain of the shower. Skkut. 

 

** SAM: Mr. Ama Darav, it has come to my attention that Drack is uncomfortable with your daily visits to the shower. His heightened sense of smell makes your sexual activities in the shower very obvious to him, and he requests you limit your visits.  **

 

_Skutting stars, his sense of smell was that good?_

 

“Yes. I...will.”  
  
**SAM:** **I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Ama Darav. I can put in a requisition order for a bathroom installation in the Pathfinder’s quarters?**

 

“NO! No. That—I will be fine.” Jaal cleared his throat and Sam hesitated before speaking again.

 

**SAM: I will inform Viveka of your discomfort with a bathroom in her quarters. Given your current relationship with her, she should have this knowledge for further options in quarter arrangements.**

 

“Wait, what? NO!” Oh skutting stars, his dear one was going to kill him.

 

Or be embarrassed. Really embarrassed.

 

Or both.

 

He groaned and sank down to the floor and covered his face. Humans were not...they didn’t talk about these things! She told him! Now she’s going to be uncomfortable and it wasn’t okay. He’d caused this. Again he was messing up.

 

Relationships were hard enough, but he’s dating a skutting alien. He had to go fall in love with a skutting alien. An alien who didn’t talk about sexual acts.

 

Skkut.

 

\------

 

** SAM: Viv? **

 

“Yes, Sam?” She asked, having left immediately on Drack’s return to the kitchen to hide in her bedroom. She looked over at Sam’s platform on the desk, the glowing sphere flickering as he spoke. 

 

** SAM: Mr. Ama Darav finds discomfort in the suggestion of a bathroom placed in your quarters for further privacy during his sexual activities in the shower. I wished for you to know he did not like the suggestion. **

 

“Jesus, please tell me you are joking?” Viveka asked, hopefully. 

 

** SAM: I could adjust my humor algorithms to include that as a joke? However, it is not. May I ask a question? **

 

“Y-Yes? I’m afraid of what this questions going to be.”

 

 **SAM: I do not understand the negative reactions you and Mr. Ama Darav have had in the suggestion of a more private shower. I wish to understand. Why is it upsetting?  
**  
Viveka groaned and dropped her face into a pillow for a second before turning it to the side and answering. “We’re trying not to have sex, Sam. It’s too soon. We’re already kissing and touching and things we really probably shouldn’t be doing yet, and a shower in my room will definitely not help.”

 

** SAM: And...a shower in your quarters will entice you  into sexual relations ? **

 

Viveka rolled on her back, laying an arm over her eyes. “That about sums it up, Sam.”

 

** SAM: But you plan on having sexual intercourse with Mr. Ama Darav? Or...am I missing information? **

 

“Um...eventually that’s going to happen? But...not now.”

 

** SAM: Affirmative. Sending in the requisition order. You will be delayed on the Nexus for four days for construction.  **

 

Viveka choked on her own spit as she shot upright. “WHAT?! Sam! What are you doing?!”

 

** SAM: I am currently running several programs and calculating results of interactions with multiple individuals. **

 

“I-I meant. Crap. I...I’m going to call Nick! I can’t think!” Viveka felt panic rising in her as she opened up the vid com system in her room. 

 

Nick blinked onto the screen, her hair up in a bun and a confused look on her face. “Did something happen? You alright? You never call during the day.” 

 

“Nick. Sam just decided for me that a bathroom is being placed in my room so Jaal can...have private time...in here. Help?” Viveka’s head dropped onto her desk and Nick blinked rapidly on her end. 

 

“Wait. What? Sam made this decision for you? What the hell Sam, did you do this?”

 

** SAM: I did.  **

 

“What the living hell? Why?”

 

** SAM: Viveka has told me she will likely be having sexual intercourse with Mr. Ama Darav whether or not the bathroom is installed. The installation became a better avenue than Nakmor Drack becoming angered over the smell, and we will have time for the construction before our designated meeting with the Angara Resistance.  **

 

“Wait what?”

 

** SAM: Viveka’s reasoning was irrelevant, because the act will happen despite the bathroom in her room or not. It was better to appease Drack and allow Mr. Ama Darav more time to relieve himself. **

 

“So, you fucking installing a bathroom in my sister’s room specifically for purple prince charming to jack off.” Nick stated more than asked, amused. 

 

** SAM: That is a correct analysis of the situation. **

 

“Good luck not fucking the alien, Viv.”

 

“I hate you. So much. Help me, damn it!”

 

“Oh, no. You’re on your fucking own on this shit. This is too fucking hilarious _not_ to let happen.”

 

“I’m gonna cry.”

 

“I’ll laugh. Don’t be such a fucking crybaby.”

 

** SAM: Viveka is not going to cry. She is mildly distressed, but she is not going to cry. **

 

“You’re not the one being tortured by...really, _really_ good kissing and sweet talking and _I can’t think about this right now because I’m about to have a bathroom in my room!”_

 

“I should call him and let him know he has my permission to jerk it in your new bathroom.”

 

“Don’t you _dare,_ Nick!”

 

Nikita Ryder just laughed as Viveka  buried her face in her hands.

 

** SAM:...Why would he not be allowed to use the bathroom for sexual acts? **

 

“Sam, he is fucking totally allowed. Command override, Nikita Ryder. Do not disallow Jaal to use the Pathfinder’s personal bathroom for any reason but bodily harm. Sending in override code now.” 

 

“NO! Nick! Oh my god. I’m going to die.”

 

**SAM: You are not dying, Viveka.**

 

Viveka’s head dropped back onto her desk with a thud.


	34. Chapter 34

Kesh carefully placed down a datapad when Nikita Ryder came into the room, hovering in that chair that she was required to use outside of her room and therapy rooms. Nikita was a strong warrior, that Kesh could see. She was intelligent as well, which Tann and Addison saw and wished to use. Kesh, herself, was happy to allow Nikita the resources with research that Tann definitely did not want her to do, thinking it was a distraction from her job.

 

Nikita, however, was efficient and careful. Her very detailed writings on the events that lead up to the uprising were all true and given in an artfully inspiring yet professional manner. Her legs may be weakened by damage right now, but her mind was very much active and well.

 

So, when the younger Ryder sister placed herself in front of Kesh’s desk with eyes full of purpose, Kesh stopped her work and gave her her full attention.

 

“As you know, I have been doing research. I’m sure you have seen me looking into very specific individual’s purchases.” Nikita said, her voice sharp and professional.

 

Kesh nodded. “Yes, Spender. Spender is a known threat to myself and others, but the other departments refuse to believe it. To them he is either highly competent, a scapegoat, or an annoying worker who seeks more authority. I can not give you much, but he is trouble.”

 

“He is. I need access to everything he has touched. I need to see current purchases, real time. I also need to find out what he is doing with all of these purchases.”

 

“Spender has spent much time covering his tracks. You need to check security logs for these dates, in which he negotiated with Krogan and here is the date Tann refused to back that promise. Here are days he filed his purchases missing, which he did in the beginning often. Kandros wrote it off as theft on multiple occasions. I think he was sending supplies elsewhere. Possibly to the exiles. And access codes to view his spending, as well as an official investigations authentication code. That should force Kandros to allow you access to video and audio files.” Kesh paused before turning to a datapad with a frown.   
  
“I can give you that much, and if you are able to...inspire confidence from Kandros...a search warrant will allow you access to Spender’s apartment. Never speak to Kandros about this openly, Spender has ears.” Kesh added, voice low.

 

Nikita nodded, typing into her omnitool quickly.

 

“I’m going to go follow up with Kandros, see what I can do from there.” Nick smirked. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll tell fucking Viv to call his dumbass.”

 

“Don’t get into trouble, Ryder.”

 

“Didn’t you know? I’m the evil fucking twin. I’ll get into that apartment, whether Kandros likes it or not.”

 

\----------

 

Viveka, finally not blushing, pushed away from her desk and strode out of her room. She had to talk to Jaal about...that.

 

She sighed as she entered the Tech Lab, where Jaal seemed to expect her. He sat on his cot, in his hands a cup of tea. She smiled as he jolted the cup with his bioelectricity, heating it up before handing it to her. “I am sorry...I...I have made you tea.”

 

“You really are too good to me.” She said, sitting down beside him. He shook his head, a small smile on his lips and he sent her one of those bioelectric hugs. Comfort washed over her as he spoke.

 

“I can never be good _enough_ for you, darling one. I assume you’re here to have a very uncomfortable talk?”

 

“Well, comfort levels set aside, Sam has already forced a solution.” She griped, pink tinting her cheeks. “He put in a requisition order to have a bathroom installed in my room. You have been given unlimited access to it thanks to Nick thinking the situation is great for a laugh.”

 

“If it had been anyone else, it would be.” Jaal grumbled out before wrapping an arm around Viveka and pressing his nose into her hair. “I apologize, dear one. I did not--”

 

“Jelly Bean, I know you didn’t realize this would happen. It’s embarrassing, yeah. But...humans take care of ourselves too. Maybe not all of us, but certainly a good majority. There _is_ no need to be sorry or apologize.” She cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “And, for the record, you’re not allowed to ask if I do.”

 

Jaal chuckled by her ear, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I do not expect you would tell me if I asked, darling.”

 

“Nope. Privileged information, that.”

 

“Sam and Nick expect me to...take care of myself in your newly installed bathroom?” He asked and Viveka nodded.

 

“Nick finds it funny, and I think Sam finds a little amusement in it too. I’m not sure.”

 

 **SAM: Not in the same sense as Nikita, Viv. I am...pleased, however. My functions are to help. I have helped. It pleases me.  
  
**“Yeah, Nick and Sam are trying to help you, alright. Right into my bed.” Viveka grouched and Jaal laughed.

 

“I would not be _opposed_ , but it is far too soon to accept such gifts.” Jaal purred out ad Viveka looked away from him and drank her tea.

 

“You’re all terrible.”

 

\------------

 

Kandros hesitated as he brought up his hand to knock on Alec Ryder’s door. It was a place forbidden to all but the Pathfinder’s family and guests.

 

He had been invited.

 

By _Nikita_ Ryder.

 

Who hated him.

 

This was definitely not a good thing.

 

Clearing his throat, he knocked on the door and it opened up to him immediately. There, at a desk with data pads, a holoscreen, and a cup of coffee was Nikita Ryder. Her back turned to him she waved him over to the seating area nearby. “One second. I’ve gotta finish this fucking thing or Tann will be on my ass.”

 

The Turian didn’t question it, he simply did as asked of him. He chose to sit on one of the chairs rather than the couch, his back straight and shoulders back. He was never _not_ tense around Nikita. She was single-handedly the cause of one of his larger scars on his chest plating, which often instigated inquiry from lovers. He only ever gave vague answers. He’d made a mistake. He was hurt because he messed things up. An omniblade to the chest.

 

She had had every right to attack him after what he’d done. He understood and accepted that. However, her dislike of him would never fade.

 

He’d lost access to Nick and was forced to face Nikita.

 

She turned in her hover chair, grabbing her coffee mug and bringing it with her as she made her way to him. Her long hair was up in a bun and she had on her N7 tee with a pair of workout shorts. She must have therapy soon.

 

“I called you here for business, Kandros.” She typed on her omnitool and a holoscreen popped up from her chair, showing him the authentication records for her investigation. “I need access to camera and audio footage for these dates. I have leads to my investigation, but I need proof.”  
  
“You’re not in security, Nick. Why are you investigating this still?”

 

“Because, _Kandros,_ I fucking know when something is done _wrong._ I see the signs. I see where my evidence is pointing. I saw the half-assed investigation closed not by your wishes, but by third party interference. You don’t want another uprising, but this whole being a good Turian bullshit is going to cause another uprising if you don’t start talking back when shit is fucked up.” Nikita growled, crossing her arms. “Spender buying weapons is, in itself, stupid because he doesn’t have any training in them. His background is strictly desk jobs, no security, no weapon training of any kind for any of his past jobs, not even basic use of a pistol. And those weapons just happen to disappear? And a case of medical supplies? The food that would have lasted him three months? All of these go missing? Not to mention an outside source of fucking credits that flow in. He’s working with someone. Since _you_ won’t do your fucking job, I will do it _for you.”_

 

Kandros growled low, his talons tapping on the thigh of his armor as he leaned back. It did sound suspicious. And, to top it off, he had tried to stall one of the Pathfinder’s arrivals.

 

“Fine, I’ll give you access to the security terminals. I can’t make any moves on my own, Addison and Tann are both standing up for Spender.”

 

“This is why you have a damn team, Kandros. You could have fucking been investigating this and done some good.”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m less concerned with Spender and more concerned about the damn incompetence of the Nexus crew.”

 

“I just fucking hate Tann, and if this goes the way I see it going...Well, Tann and Addison will both have to find a way to save their already crappy reputations.”

 

“As long as you can do it without becoming a danger to society.”

 

“I _am_ a danger to the fucking people, no matter what anyone fucking does. You fucking know this.”

 

“Yeah, well, more of a danger.”

 

\---------

 

Vetra frowned at the box of Blast-O’s cereal as she poured some in a bowl for herself. It was a luxury she knew not everyone could afford, and she was going to enjoy this one box while she bargained for the rest. The Turians on board had already haggled a couple boxes from her, and she now had her pick of one specific Turian’s storage.

 

That would be interesting.

 

She glanced over at Drack, who was working on his shot gun at the kitchen table. He never asked her for anything, too use to being out in the wilds. He hunted on planets, gathered resources on planets, planned ahead for everyone’s meals and making sure everything met species standards.

 

See sat and ate her cereal slowly. Everyone had something they wanted, but 1400 year old Krogans? They tended to take care of their own wants.

 

PeeBee wanted knowledge. Books, tech, anything she could learn about. Or have sex with. She seemed to want to stay detached from the others, but she’d grown close to Viv, Jaal, and Drack. She’d even started to form attachments to the rest of the crew. Liam, herself, and even Cora.

 

Cora was an interesting one. She had fantasies of a home surrounded in by green trees, roses, and a large vegetable garden. She wanted a simple, ordinary life in which she could harvest her crops, go sell them, and happily live without biotic judgment. Like Viveka and Nikita, Cora had been discovered to have exceptional biotic talent.

 

Unlike the Ryder twins, Cora was feared by several factions she’d been thrown into as a child.

 

The Ryder twins had their mother, who had been heavily exposed to Element Zero as a part of her work. She accepted their abilities, sought private help for them, and never shipped them off to training facilities. She was not afraid of her children, she was proud.

 

That was a lot more than Cora got from her parents.

 

Liam, unlike almost all the rest of the crew, had grown up sheltered and protected. His wants were material in nature, which she was able to provide easily. He saw the world in a black and white way, and was predictable with his likes and dislikes. He, however, had a very...impulsive streak. She saw him in a like way to Sid.

 

They would get in trouble trying to help.

 

Every time.

 

Because they were impulsive and didn’t have the experience others did.

 

Jaal’s needs revolved around Ryder, Technology, and Milky Way species in general. He was not unlike PeeBee in his eagerness to learn, but his main wishes were wrapped up in his feelings for Viv. It was cute. Sometimes unsettling, with him being so free with his emotions. Sometimes it was endearing, with how he seemed to soften by simply talking about the Pathfinder. But, the fact he specifically went out of his way to make sure Ryder smiled? That was cute.

 

Viveka was an interesting one. She had varied interests as far as what she wanted. Music, clothes, things to make life aboard the Tempest easier, food, and various nonsensical yet very human things. Like Suvi’s special cup. Viveka liked things like that, things that could be hers or someone else’s exclusively.

 

Suvi and Viveka talked a lot.

 

And named things.

 

Viveka was pack bonded to the Nomad, and Suvi was bonded to her cup. It was all so silly, for her as a turian, to watch.

 

Kallo was...well, he was talkative. He was social and kind hearted, though he rarely left the bridge except to sleep. Anything he wanted had to do with friendship or the Tempest. Nothing more, nothing less. If she mentioned to him something Suvi might like, he would bargain for it immediately. He loved Suvi.

 

As a friend. Sexual intentions weren’t really a Salarian thing.

 

They were, however a Turian thing. She didn’t like turning down so many Turian males on board, but she simply was not interested. The males were stressed, and she could relate to that completely, but she...well. She didn’t exactly enjoy the thought of males. Of any species.

 

Suvi, though. Suvi...she liked. A lot.

 

She placed her bowl into the sink and walked back to the cargo bay. She needed to distract herself.

 

Because she didn’t need to get Suvi a bible or a cross necklace. She didn’t need to get Suvi samples from Aya during their next trip. Not a chance.

 

Too risky.

 

…But Suvi would _really_ like it.


	35. Chapter 35

Nikita Ryder hated physical therapy. With a passion.

 

She had to wear a harness to keep her upright.

 

It was not fun. It was embarrassing in many ways. Harry saw marked improvement, and the asari doctor wasn’t around now that she was past the first milestone.

 

Still, it felt good to walk. Even if every step was painful, it wasn’t as painful as the day before.

 

And, it was nice not to fall.

 

The muscle weave had set well, and the cybernetics were working fast to help her walk again. It would be a much faster process now, and she was pleased about that. She still continued light workouts while in bed or in her chair, which helped as well.

 

The hoverchair made it possible to access every possible place on the Nexus, which was good. Soon she’d be able to walk short distances unassisted, she was sure of it. She wouldn’t try on her own, though. Falling could hinder her goals. She needed to gather evidence against Spender, and she had to get off the Nexus. She was needed by her sister.

 

She was glad Viveka wasn’t here to see her in her weak state. It would be...a horrible experience. She’d likely try to keep her on the Nexus.

 

With the security of the harness, Nick turned between the ends of the support bars and walked to the other end. At this end she lifted one knee up, held it for thirty seconds, then the other. Again, she turned around and walked.

 

When the ache of her legs began, she sat down in her chair, removing the harness with practiced ease.

 

Harry was pleased.

 

She was not.

 

\-----------

 

Liam sighed as he sat on his couch and opened up a beer. Nothing was better than a cold beer at the end of the day. Next to him, Jaal sat with a bowl of dried Ayan fruits, nibbling at pieces in a delicate way. From what he’d told him, such things were for celebrations, usually. Whole fruits were a luxury to the Angara, who fed themselves in the most efficient way possible.

 

“You said you have questions?”

 

“Yes...I have been doing research. I would like to know more about humans.”

 

“Well, that’s a big topic, dude. We come from a planet called Earth for one.”

 

“Earth. Your species is very...literal.”

 

“Name one race that’s name _doesn’t_ mean ‘the people’.”

 

“Annoying...but true.” Jaal said, his nose scrunching up when he thought about it. “I have found books in several languages. I have come to understand you have one….primary language. What of the others?”  
  
“Oh, that one is difficult. Before we hit space...er...got into space travel we had only had air travel for a little while. A few generations. Before that the primary modes of travel were land and water. And before cars—ground vehicles like the Nomad—we had been using animals to pull carts or ride on. It was slow means of travel, and humans were spread all over Earth, culturally we’re more diverse than any other species because of it. We have a lot of languages for different areas on Earth, because that’s how they developed a means to communicate. We didn’t all come from one continent or place, we had several continents all over the world that had humans.” Liam paused at that, thinking about how far they’d come.

 

“Your people seem to have...advanced in technological achievement quickly.”

 

“Yeah, that’s the thing about humans that make us different, too. We’re resourceful and like to think outside the box...um...outside normal behaviors. We have subraces of humans based on the different cultures, and we didn’t really...come together as one race until we had the first contact war.”  
  
“First contact war?”

 

“Oh, yeah, basically we met Turians who were big and scary looking. No one knows really who started it, but Turians and Humans were at war for generations before the Asari came and forced a treaty. It was a mess, Turian and Human relations are still a little strained because of it. The last battle with the Turians was only one generation before me and Viv’s time. I heard Viv’s dad was in the war when he was young.”

 

“Yet...Viveka still had a relationship with a Turian?”

 

“Yeah, that’s a taboo relationship usually. Turians don’t generally date us, or vice versa, because of lingering feelings on the war. Just like Krogan and Salarians. Most Krogan hate the Salarian race as a whole because of the Genophage. I wouldn’t ask about it, it’s a really touchy subject with Krogan. Basically, Salarians gave Krogan technology before their race was ready for it, to help with a war. I don’t know the exact details, but I know the Turians helped set the Genophage in motion. The Krogans use to breed like crazy—you wouldn’t believe how fast—and they’re really long lived. Now, with the Genophage, they can barely breed. Their race was dying out because of it.”

 

“That...is terrible. Why would the Salarians and Turians do such a thing?”

 

“Oh. That. Krogan tried to attack worlds with asteroids because they wanted more say in the space-government we had going. It was kind of a do or die situation, I guess?”

 

“But...they took away their _families.”_

 

“Yeah, which really sucks, you know? I think if they wanted to they could have brokered peace.”

 

“That is...sad and...horrible.”

 

“Yeah. The Krogan here, during their sleep, have been able to kind of fight the Genophage? If I understand it right. I’m not smart at that stuff, but they should be able to breed at a higher rate now.”

 

“...Hm...Do humans not breed quickly?”

 

“Depends on who you ask. We have babies faster than Asari do, but their race is really long lived. Like, thousands of years. PeeBee and Lexi are just teenagers in Asari standards...maybe even kids. The Salarians breed in mass but only like once in a lifetime. They have like clutches of eggs in the hundreds, but their race is really short lived. I think the oldest Salarian was...maybe forty? Kallo is a full grown adult, and he’s fourteen or something like that. Unlike other species, Asari, Turian, and Humans tend to have one, maybe two kids at a time. I don’t know about Quarian, Vorcha, Hanar, Elcor, or Drell.”

 

“Mm...Angara have very...large families. I have several mothers, one true mother, one true father, many siblings, and many, many, _many_ cousins. We tend to have three to five children in one pregnancy.”

 

“Oh, dude, I feel bad for your ladies. Our women have like...really painful childbirths. Nine month pregnancies, which is really long compared to most species. Salarians and Krogan are egg laying species. I heard Turian pregnancies are like...six months or something like that. Do your women give birth fast or some shit?”

 

“Ah...yes. Four months for full development.”

 

“Wow. Most human women would kill for that.”

 

Jaal laughed. “Yes, I do not think being pregnant for nine months could be pleasant.”

 

“Yeah, and our kids are huge compared to other species. It’s crazy. When I was working in...well it was a crisis response team, we’d sometimes stumble upon some alien giving birth in the middle of a catastrophe. Asari kids are like...half the size of ours but they have a longer pregnancy. I don’t know how long….to be honest I never really thought of it before now. Huh.”

 

“Liam, you are very odd.” Jaal chuckled, and Liam grinned at him.

 

“Says the big purple alien.”

“Why do you humans obsess over color? Viveka and her sister mention my coloring to me as well.”

 

“Oh, that. We only come in various shades of brown. Our hair can only be brown, black, yellow—which is called blonde, and like an orange color we call red. Our eyes can be like...brown, green, blue or a mix of them. We see ourselves as pretty plain compared to some of the more exotic species. Asari have like...a ton of blues, greens, purples. Turian use that clan marking face paint stuff. Salarians are even more colorfully diverse than Asari, they can have reds, yellows, all sorts of colors. It’s kind of cool. Elcor are _always_ gray, though. Hanar are always pink. Drell have just as many colors as Salarians. I don’t know about Quarians...they stay in suits because their entire society is in space and they don’t have good immune systems. Vorcha can be yellow-ish or tan-ish...and are _mean._ Krogan can be pretty colorful, too, now that I think about it.”

 

“Ah, so...my coloring is a good thing, but strange to your race.”

 

“Yeah, I guess. I mean, we dye our hair sometimes to make our hair more colorful. We like standing out.”

 

“Hm...is that a part of human courting? To ‘stand out’?”

 

“In a way? It’s mostly about vanity. We like being noticed, I guess. Viveka’s clothes? They’re always like pink and blue, right? It’s her way of standing out. Cora doesn’t like to stand out, but does care about how she looks. That’s why she wears neutral colors, but is still...like...super hot. Our women have more to compete with, alien wise. _Every_ race likes and breeds with Asari. They’re like...just hot to everyone. So, our women kind of adapt with hair color and stuff.”

 

“That...is confusing. Why choose another race above your own?”

 

“Why do you like Viv?”

 

“...You tell me very annoying truths.”

 

“I’m good like that.”

 

\-----

 

Viveka smiled as she sat down with Drack, his hands busy preparing some Turian dish for Vetra. “Anything I can help with?”

 

“Is your boyfriend going to stop milking his quads in the shower?”

 

“That...” She cleared her throat, blushing. “That’s been taken care of.”

 

“You gonna start fucking him or what?” Drack asked, turning the slab of meat over and rubbing some spice into it.

 

“...We worked something else out.”

 

“Suit yourself, kid. Ain’t my quads gonna be hurtin’.”

 

“Ewe.”

 

Drack’s laughter followed her as she left the mess in a hurry.

 

\----

 

PeeBee grinned as she walked toward the Tech Lab. She smiled happily as she opened the doors...only to find Jaal not there. Frowning, she put her hands on her hips and went to walk back to the escape pod when she heard voices filter up from the mess.

 

“Is your boyfriend going to stop milking his quads in the shower?”

 

“That...” She could hear Vivi clearing her throat. “That’s been taken care of.”

 

“You gonna start fucking him or what?”

 

“...We worked something else out.”

 

Oh. This was good. She grinned and climbed the ladder down, catching Ryder as she left the mess.

 

“So...Jaal’s been jerkin’ it alone?”

 

“Oh, Jesus.” Viveka answered, covering her face and heading toward the cargo bay. PeeBee followed.

 

“You know...I could help with that.”

“No.” The answer was immediate and PeeBee grinned.

 

“Ohhh, possessive. You going to start helping with that?”

 

“Peebs...I’m going to...to...I don’t know I’ll think of something terrible to do to you in a second.”

 

“So...you sure you don’t want my help?”

 

“Absolutely positive I don’t want you helping.”

 

“I could, you know, help _you_ out...”

 

“Peebs. You need to get some sex out of your system when we reach the Nexus.”

 

“You offering?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well...offers open for some no strings attached zero-g fun in the escape pod.”

 

“Noted. Declined.”

 

PeeBee laughed as Viveka walked into the supply room, closing the door behind her. “ _Love you too, Vivi!”_


	36. Chapter 36

It turned out audio and video files from certain timestamps had been corrupted, scrambled according to Sam.

 

Highly suspicious.

 

However, they were able to get some key information. Spender had definitely bargained with the Krogan, had excluded the fact when talking to Tann saying he had it handled, and had recently taken three crates from the Hyperion Cryo Bay. Stolen them.

 

To make matters worse, there was likely more contacts he had on the Nexus.

 

Nikita sent an encrypted message to Kandros, annoyed.

 

**From: Nikita Ryder**

**To: Tiran Kandros, Head Security Officer**

 

**I’ve got video evidence of Spender stealing from the Hyperion’s Cryo Bay. I need access to his quarters. It’s highly likely he or someone he knows scrambled some video files during the ‘thefts’ of his supplies. Do not go after him, I’m going to find out who his contacts are here on the Nexus, and elsewhere.**

 

**Don’t fucking try to arrest him, Kandros. I’m still mid-fucking-investigation.**

 

\------

 

Viveka smiled as Jaal entered her room, his usual offering of tea in hand. He, however, paused when he saw her. She had blankets wrapped around her with only her face showing. He laughed, setting their drinks down on the table before her.

 

“You look very comfortable, Dearest.” He said, still chuckling. She smiled.

 

“I _am.”_ She said with a grin.

 

He sat next to her, his legs spreading awkwardly...in an almost inviting way. She knew it was because he was so large and her couch wasn’t made for Angara and their leg shape, but the fact he was in those...pants again.

 

She couldn’t help but drink the sight of him in as he draped an arm over the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. She smiled at him and moved, turning to tuck herself close against his side, the blanket falling from her head and pooling around her neck. “And now, I’m even more comfortable.”

 

He purred, looking down at her with his pupils slowly dilating. “It makes me happy you are so comfortable with me, dear one.”

 

She pressed her cheek to his bare chest, closing her eyes. “You know what?”

 

“What is it, dearest?”

 

“You’re the best.”   
  
“I believe you are, Taoshay.”

 

“Nope, you definitely are.”

 

“I have to disagree. There is no comparison to your light, my darling. Every time I am near you I feel my bioelectricity being pulled towards you. My heart sings for you, my light. My star. My darling.” He gently took her cheek in his hand and she opened her eyes, looking up at him. “You guide me down my path, give me purpose and it is _glorious._ If you were to ask me of anything, I would give it all to you. _You_ , dear one, are the best.”

 

His lips found hers easily, silencing her. Her tongue brushed against his and he savored the taste of her. The scent of her. The feel of her. He cradled her, pulling her across his lap as his arm hooked under her blanket covered knees. When he pulled away, her biotics were flaring, tugging out his bioelectrics almost forcefully and he felt her relaxed and carefully held love for him. It felt delicate, fragile, this newly budding love.

 

And it felt coveted, cherished, but feared.

 

He didn’t want her to fear her feelings for him. She did not find shame in it, she was happy for it, but scared all the same.

 

He planted kisses over her cheeks and forehead, slow and deliberately trying to show her how much he loved her. There was no reason to doubt him. He would follow her to the ends of the universe.

 

When he pulled back, licking his lips ever so slightly, her blushing face broke out in a mischievous grin.

 

“You just proved me right, you are the best. Ever.”

 

 

**\----------**

 

 **S** **AM(Private): The door has been unlocked, Nick.  
  
**Nikita slipped inside of Spender’s apartment quietly, looking around. She maneuvered her way through the apartment. Inside she found several business and work literature, including a guide to keep one’s job. Datapads with contacts and supply orders. And, behind the television, leaned up against the wall, was the scrambler.

 

She copied all the evidence and took the scrambler, escaping the room without detection.

 

She needed to review the names and find out where everyone was. It was what Viveka would do.

 

She sighed as she reached Alec—her—room, her mind drifting to her sister.

 

Her heart clenched and she gripped the front of her shirt.

 

 _We only have each other_  
It's just you and me  
What are we gonna do?

The lyrics spilled out of her mouth as she closed her eyes, sadness seeping over her. Viveka was all she had—but Viveka had so many others. She had her crew, she had...Jaal.

 

She ran a hand through her hair and a deep frown found its way to her face. Viveka was leaving her behind.

 

And...it hurt. She made her way to the desk and began reviewing her evidence.  
  
Working on Spender’s case was a good distraction.

 

\----------

 

Lexi tightened a screw in place with a little more force than needed, frowning at the prosthetic leg as she checked for any external flaws.

 

Nothing out of place, it was tuned up and now in excellent condition. She moved to the side, straightening it out and letting it fall. The knee joint was fine. She turned her attention to the back, testing the ankle and toes. All joints checked out.

 

Moving up to the hip she scanned for any nerve or muscle abnormalities. Nothing. It all was all normal. Frown deepening, she looked up at the Krogan who sat on the bed.   
  
“Everything is fine, Drack. Why are you really here?” She asked, crossing her arms. He grunted and gave a snort.

 

“The kid and purple butt keep dancing around each other’s needs. He keeps spreading his stink in the bathroom, damn it, Lex.” His hand came up and he rubbed his head plate. “It’s aggravating.”

 

Lexi smiled, patting his leg. “They’re young, Drack. We don’t have your bluntness when it comes to relationships. Viveka is human, you know how they are.”

 

“Yeah, well, I can’t stand the smell.” Drack grouched as she stood and moved in front of him.

 

“Drack, let them figure things out. I’ll give you some sinus spray to help with the smell.” She said, placing a hand on his cheek and patting it lightly. “It’s not like you weren’t young once.”  
  
“Yeah, well, I didn’t go spreading my damn scent all over the place.”  
  
Lexi laughed, patting his leg again as she went to get the nasal spray. Krogan medical _anything_ had to be specifically able to work around their redundancies to last any amount of reasonable time. She had specifically worked out several medications for the older Krogan. Taking a large vial of liquid, she poured some into a small container.

 

“I’m not so upfront with relationship shit, either, I guess.” He grumbled out from behind her as she mixed chemicals. She hummed as she screwed on the top of the nasal spray and walked over to him.

 

“I think you would be.” She said, spraying the chemicals into his nostrils and smiling. “You need to use this every five hours, if you want to keep the effects up. No more than five times a day, or you can do damage to your sinuses.”  
  
Drack took the vial in his good hand and rubbed at his head plates with his prosthetic hand. “Thanks, Lex.”

 

“Just doing my job, no thanks needed.” Lexi said, giving his leg another pat before turning away.

 

“Hey, Lex...” He shifted uncomfortably. “Ah, fuck, never mind. I’m too old for this shit.” He grumbled out, standing. Lexi smiled.

 

“You aren’t too old, Drack. Stop talking about yourself like that, it’s not good for you.” Lexi said over her shoulder as she sat down at her desk. Drack chuckled as he looked over at her.   
  
“Let me be old and grumpy, Lex. It’s all I got left.”

 

“Then you need something else to hang on to, Drack.”

 

“It ain’t that easy.” Drack said as he stepped out of the Med Bay. Lexi could hear his heavy steps going to the Mess and she smiled.

 

“It could be, if you’d just say something.” She said quietly to the empty room, stowing away the chemicals once more.

 

\--------

 

Vetra sighed at the two turians laying down in her space. She’d given up her sleeping cot for them, they had been the only couple they brought aboard. She looked down at the two, their foreheads touching and hands linked together.   
  
She couldn’t even remember the last time she was attracted to another of her species.

 

Turning, she made her way to the Nomad and opened up the hatch, getting into the back and closing it back up. Her larger legs curled as she lay down, she closed her eyes and willed the thoughts from her mind. She didn’t need a partner.   
  
She never did.

 

She was always too busy for a relationship anyway, and she had her kid sister to think of.

 

She loved her sister. That was enough for her.

 

It was enough.

 

Her mind repeated it again and again, as if it were a desperate prayer. Looking at her hand, she sighed. Humans were so different than Turians, it would never work out anyway. They were just too different.

 

If she were male, maybe.

 

But she wasn’t. There was no way it could work between them.

 

Her sister loved her. That was enough. It had to be.

 

\------

 

Suvi smiled as she drank her tea, it had been made of a plant on Havarl she’d been dying to test out. The results were pleasing. The tea had very light bitterness to it, smelled sweet, and tasted as if there was fruit infused into it. It was marvelous.

 

It wasn’t until she finished that she began feeling a prickly sensation in her throat.

 

Odd. She wrote it down in her research folder, then noticed the swelling in her fingers. That wasn’t good.

 

Standing, vertigo hit her hard and she placed a hand to her forehead. That wasn’t good. Her skin was flushed red and her face was swelling by the time she got to Lexi.

 

“I fink...allerg..ic.” Suvi managed to choke out as Lexi rushed over and guided her to a bed.

 

\-------

 

Liam set an empty beer bottle on the table and laughed as a large Turian uncomfortably shifted away from Gil on the couch. They were watching Turian remakes of classic Earth movies, which were, in all reality, horrible.

 

Turian Titanic was absolutely hilarious. Even better than Hanar Beauty and The Beast, which had a Hanar Belle that fell in love with a badly costumed Hanar with fur, spikes, horns, and a fake face.   
  
But the Turian Star Wars trilogy was just...awful. They’d changed a lot of the original films. Yoda was a Drell, interestingly enough. The majority of the cast were Turian, mixed with an Volus Darth Vader and a Quarian as R2D2.

 

It was awful.

 

Okay, so it was pretty funny, too.

 

But awful.

 

Liam was animate with his upset at the movie changes, stating they’d be watching the Human version next. Gil didn’t care, he was too invested in trying to get the Turian—Rixal—to ‘blow off steam’ with him.

 

Rixal, on the other hand, was very interested in the differences in the movies, and was definitely not interested in Gil at the moment. Or, at least, he was trying not to be. Rixal would sometimes look over at Gil, genuinely interested in whatever the man was talking about at the moment. The next moment, Gil would make some innuendo and the Turian would immediately become uncomfortable and switch his attentions back to the movie.

 

Liam watched the interactions of the two with veiled amusement. It wasn’t every day a Human was able to sway a Turian’s interest.

 

He had to admit, it was more amusing than the movies.

 

\------

 

Cora gently touched the leaf of one of the plants in the Bio Lab, her finger picking up moisture from the recent watering of them. She smiled softly to herself, not worried about her Turian guest in the room. The female took some leaves from a dextro-based plant and was testing it for abnormalities.

 

It was nice to have someone else around who cared so much about the plants as she did.

 

Tiaka was a sweet Turian, soft spoken and blunt. She had been a scientist, woken up to help with making sure everyone had food...then the evacuation of the ark happened.

 

Now she could help immensely with the Hydroponics area on the Nexus when they arrived. Dextro plants would benefit immensely from her knowledge.

 

**SAM(comm system): Cora, you have received a new email.**

 

Cora didn’t take her eyes off the plants. “Thanks, Sam.” She said, turning to check her email. She lit up when she saw the sender’s name, and she quickly typed a reply.

 

She couldn’t wait to get back to the Nexus.


	37. Chapter 37

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

Hey! How’s your PT going? You listening to the doctors still, right?   
  
Anything new on the Nexus?   
  
I miss you.   


\----  


To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

PT is going fucking splendid. I hate the fucking asshole doctors. Harry’s the worst, always hovering over me like I fucking need to be babysat during PT. 

 

They are working on a park area. I heard you were to thank for enough water to do it. They also have a stupidly small area where they’re working on starting some plants for crops. I had to help fucking Addison and Kesh talk Tann into letting more out of Cryo for the farming areas they have marked. Apparently there was a Drell in that batch, only one on the Nexus.   
  
Two Quarians are awake too, being sent to Podromos to help developing tech or some shit. I don’t know. When I fucking asked about any other species in Cryo, Tann said there were some fucking specialists or some shit. I dunno. He said something about the Quarian Ark suppose to be here, soon. 

 

Tann’s an asshole. 

 

I hate him.   
  
How’s the thing with Purple Prince Charming? Still beating it every time he thinks of you?  


\----

  
To: Nikita Ryder

From Viveka Ryder  
  
Never mind, I don’t miss you. You’re a jerk.   
  
There’s a Drell and a couple Quarians awake? What’s Tann thinking? He should have waited for the ark. At least the Quarians will be great for Podromos...but the Drell really shouldn’t be in the hydroponics with seedlings. Maybe he/she’ll be okay with working on the crop areas before they start watering...but Drell need dry habitats. He should have been sent to Podromos when he was woken up. Super dry.   
  
Tann’s always rude. Don’t take it too personally, he’s just scared. 

 

Addison is stressed too, don’t punch them. 

 

Also, Jelly Bean isn’t doing that anymore. He’s giving me a lot of kisses, though. Don’t be mad if I end up with marks all over my neck. Seriously, don’t punch him. He’s probably going to hug you when we get there.

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

If he doesn’t want to get fucking punched, tell him not to fucking hug me. Ever. I don’t know where he’s fucking been.

 

Also, I think I have all the evidence I need to get your ex to arrest 8 people. Some guy has been shipping supplies to the Exiles on Kadara. Dumbass didn’t look into it because assholes #1 and #2 decided that the guy was worth protecting. 

 

Been fun to work on, but now it’s back to just dealing with these fucking records.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

He’ll probably think you hate him if you don’t let him hug you!

 

Records?

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

And that bothers me how? He’s your fucking problem, not mine. 

 

They stuck me on fucking the ‘Uprise of the Nexus’ historical archives. Next is the “Arrival of the Hyperion”. Ugh.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

He’s your problem, and my Jelly Bean. I don’t have any problems with him. 

 

It’s good you have a job! You know you don’t do good with nothing to do. I’ll get you out of there asap, though.  Make sure to mention how beautiful and awesome I am in the records. 

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

So you’re saying you’re fucking him to stop any problems?  


You better get my ass off the Nexus before I murder a few specific individuals.  I’ll mention the good looks, after all, you take after me.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

NO! The way you mention it so often, it feels like you want me to do that with him.

 

Also, don’t hurt anyone. Or kill them.  I was born first, you take after me.

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

Fuck yeah, sure, I want  all the dirty details. 

 

I feel fucking gross even typing that. No. I don’t want to know shit. I don’t want you to fuck him, but it’s fucking hilarious that you’re all worked up about it. Seriously, it’s just sex.

 

It’d be so fucking nice if I could.  Stop being such a bitch, I’ll mention my fucking great looks and you can be mentioned as looking just fucking like me.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

We’re not ready yet! And I really like him. I kinda want him to stick around...for a while at least. 

 

You can come with me to Aya. Jelly Bean said Evfra will be mad, but he’ll deal with it because you’re my family.  Eh, that works. Identical twinning, we’re both amazing looking.

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

So fuck him until he gets addicted. Duh. All men work that way. Except Salarians. 

 

Who the fuck is Evfra?  Also, I’m going to seriously write about our fantastic fucking bods. 

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From Viveka Ryder

 

I’m not like you. Just...no.

 

Oh. Yeah. Haven’t told you. He’s the commander of their army. Jaal said he killed like a ton of bad guys and freed over 100 Angara from a labor camp once. He’s got these bad ass scars on his face, like, it looks like something tried to claw out his eye.

 

He’s mean, though. Doesn’t like me very much. He’s always mad.

 

Please don’t write about how we look, like, for real. 

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

Whatever. You’re worrying too much. 

 

HAH! He sounds like someone I want to fuck with. 

 

I wasn’t fucking really going to, it’s official records.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

You don’t worry enough about that stuff. 

 

Don’t fuck with Evfra. Like, never fuck him or fuck with him in all the possible meanings. No sex, no messing with him. He’s mean as fuck. 

 

Good. 

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. 

 

I’m going to fucking mess with him, you can’t stop me.

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

Please don’t. You’ll make my alliance negotiations harder. Trying not to go to war, and he’s the guy deciding if we do or not. 

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder 

 

No shit? Fine. After we have an alliance, though, if you take me back to Aya. 

 

\----

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

Yeah, totally will. I’d love to see him lose his cool. He’s like always calm-mad. And he’s mean to Jaal. 

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

He fucks with Mister Purple Prince of the Space Cats? I like him already. 

 

** \---- **

 

To: Nikita Ryder

From: Viveka Ryder

 

Going to bed now, don’t stay up too long. Night. Love you.

 

\----

 

To: Viveka Ryder

From: Nikita Ryder

 

Night. Love you too. Fucking loser.


	38. Chapter 38

From everything she’d been able to figure out from Viveka, Jaal was annoyingly perfect. 

 

He was Viveka’s dream man. 

 

A prince charming to her princess-like fantasies. And, of course, that made Nick want to gag. 

 

Viveka liked to be spoiled with affection and love, she always had. She’d even wormed her way into getting a hug from Alec now and again. She wasn’t starved for love and affection—she simply thrived with it’s presence. 

 

Nick, however, was always more introverted about those things. She’d wanted the hugs from Alec growing up, strove to impress him with her military career, even. She didn’t like admitting it, even to herself, but she was the one who felt starved for attention.   
  
It was why she sought out lovers so often. Sex filled a need in her she wasn’t quite sure how to fill. 

 

Viveka never had any problems with that. When Viveka felt something you could see it on her face, in her body movements. Nick, however...She was very good at hiding her feelings. 

 

Like now, Viveka was so...different now. She was proud of her job, proud to do her job. She was in a relationship with a new species of alien and she wanted to keep that relationship going. 

 

Unlike Nick, Viveka always had relationships with her partners. She always, however, broke things off became too serious. She was scared of how things would turn out if they knew she couldn’t give them a family. Every time. 

 

Viveka wasn’t good with the thought of someone leaving her because of that. 

 

Nikita had even promised long ago to carry kids for her, but Viveka still felt like she could never be enough...for anyone. 

 

Nick rolled over onto her side in bed and sighed. Viveka really liked the purple alien a lot, even if he was the size of a small mountain. He dwarfed them both, being a good two heads taller than them. 

 

Realizing trying to sleep was getting her nowhere, Nick sat up and pulled her long, waist length hair back up into a bun. 

 

May as well work on her history work. 

 

Standing, Nick slowly walked to Alec—her – desk and sat down in his—her—chair. She hated the room. Everything was horrible about it. She didn’t even try to access the logs on the giant screened computer interface. That was Alec’s business, not hers.

 

God, she hated him for putting Viv out there. For dying. 

 

Nick clenched her jaw and took a look at the data pads in front of her. No time like the present than to start typing out the timeline of events.

 

\------

 

_Viveka sighed as the alarms went off. Probably another supply shuttle. She smiled as she stood and walked away from the Prothean beacon, happy to take a break away from the dig in the woods where she could sit and relax in private._

 

_Of course, just in case of local varren she kept a side arm on her, but she never had to use it, really. She was happy her dad trained her a bit—but fighting wasn’t as fun as looking at the remains of a lost civilization. Nick was always the better fighter. She always would be._

 

_She wondered if Nick got through the N4 training yet._

 

_Then it started. A horrible screeching metallic sound that seemed to bore into her skull, scraping at the inside like a caged animal. She held her hands over her ears, but then realized the sound was coming from INSIDE her head. She almost screamed, but instead started heading back to the dig site so she could seek medical attention._

 

_She hesitated and hid behind a tree when she heard the strange whirring clicks. Jumbled sounds that sounded way too fast. Metal hitting metal. She dared a peek and saw Geth._

 

_Geth._

 

_She swallowed thickly and saw a huge ship in the sky, one she’d never seen before. It had a bug-like shape and didn’t match up with any ship she’d ever heard of. In anyway._

 

_As the Geth passed by, Viveka quickly snuck over to the Medical building, finding it empty._

 

_She peeked out the window and saw Taylor McGuire being laid out over a piece of machinery. He had been shot several times, but none of the wounds were fatal._

 

_The sound of metal scraping metal echoed through the dig as the dragon’s teeth tore through his middle._

 

Viveka woke up with the start of a scream dying in her throat. Jaal shot up next to her, looking around but finding only Viveka hunched over holding her chest.

 

“Darling one?” He moves closer, covering the clenched fist on her chest with his hand. “Are you okay? Do I need to call Lexi?”

 

Viveka shook her head, a tear falling from her eye as she did so. Gently, he pulled her close.

 

“Viveka, my dearest, what is wrong?” He asks gently, and she turns her face into his chest and just begins to cry.

 

Tears prick his eyes, and he picks her up, cradling her in his lap and stroking her back. “I am here. It is okay.”

 

She choked on her sobs, shaking from fear and relief at the same time. She wasn’t there anymore. The Geth were no longer attacking. Taylor wasn’t...wasn’t being impaled in front of her.

 

Jaal, her Jelly Bean, was here.

 

She shifted her focus on how warm he was, how he gently held her. How his shoulders shook with his worried tears as he curled around her, as if trying to protect her from something.

 

The Geth.

 

His cheek rubbed against hers, their tears intermingling as she struggled in between past and present.

 

“My darling one. My dearest. My star. I-I am here. I...” He choked on a sob. “I do not know what to _do.”_

 

That brought her back.

 

He was scared, worried about her.

 

She began trying to calm down, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his cowl, he was buzzing with unrestrained bioelectricity and she let loose her biotics.

 

She could feel his worry, his fear, his frustration, even some self-directed anger. Still humming with it all, was his intense pull to her.

 

He could feel her fear, worry, her gratitude, her affections. The small package of love for him seemed to grow stronger now, and he purred into her ear soothingly.

 

“I’m sorry. I-I’m so s-sorry.” Viveka was able to manage through shaky breaths as she began pulling herself together.

 

He began feeling her self-doubt. Her fear shifted, changing into another one.

 

She was afraid to run him off. He was certain, now.

 

He turned his head and planted a kiss on her cheek before nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck. “Do not...do not be sorry. I am here. I _want_ to be here.” He added on the last bit, trying to reassure her. He felt her self-doubt...no...it was more than that.

 

She felt _undeserving._

 

“My light...” He choked out, the weight of how little she thought of herself hitting him hard. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to make it better.

 

He pulled away slightly and took her lips with his, chaste kisses slowly changed as he kissed her again and again, coaxing her out of the darkest corners of her mind.

 

The darkness ebbed out of her biotics and he could feel her greed for his kisses. He was sure she felt his own.

 

Their mouths open to each other, she tasted his blunt, forked tongue with hers. Her fingers roaming his cowl, stroking his ridges when she felt him shiver under her touch. His lips broke from hers and he began pressing kisses onto her neck and collarbone, nipping now and then.

 

She closed her eyes, tilting her head to give him access.

 

His tongue trailed up her throat and she let out a soft needy whimper. He pulled back then, pulling her close and laying them both down on the bed.

 

He waited for her mind to clear, purring as her lips pressed against his cowl and neck. The kisses slowed down and he sent her a wave of affection through his bio electrics.

 

“Do you...wish to talk about it?” He asked, and she thought about it a moment.

 

“Its...something that happened before...before I went into combat training.” She said, licking her lips and searching his eyes for...something.

 

She didn’t even know what she was looking for. His bioelectrics were sending waves of surprise, a tinge of anger, worry, but she felt affection overlaying everything.

 

“I was...really traumatized by it. I was the only one to survive what happened.” She didn’t give details, but it was enough.

 

She’d been somewhere, before knowing how to fight, and something happened to kill everyone there. Everyone but her.

 

A hand in her hair, and one on her back, he pulled her close. He felt her hesitation, her worry and fear, and as he pulled her close he felt her fears begin to subside and the delicate love she held for him grow.

 

“Taoshay. I understand. Your nightmares...they must be horrible. I will be here to pull you out of the dark, I will not let your past torment you so. My dear star. I will be here. I will not leave.”

 

He felt her give a small laugh through her still unsteady breathing and she looked up at him with wet eyes. “You-you’re going to make me question if you’re real or not again.” Happiness swelled around them in her biotics, tainted by the worry and some doubt.

 

He chuckled and pressed his forehead to hers. “As long as I am with you, it does not matter. My darling one.”

 

\----------

 

Drack jumped up at the smell of tears, growling low when he noticed they were Ryder’s. Then, as he stood, Jaal’s hit him. He sighed. 

 

“Damn it.” He cursed, standing in the doorway of the mess and looking at the Pathfinder’s closed door. 

 

** SAM(Drack Omnitool): Viveka and Mr. Ama Darav are having ‘a moment,’ Nakmor Drack. Viveka has had a nightmare. **

 

Drack snorted and went to go sit back down with his gun magazine. “Damn brats.”

 

** SAM(Drack Omnitool): If it would help, Viveka and Mr. Ama Darav are both in good health. Viveka’s stress levels are diminishing, and Mr. Ama Darav is taking care of her. **

 

“The kid needs to stop. I’m too old for this.”

 

** SAM(Drack Omnitool): Lexi T’Perro often reminds you you are not too old for caring about others.  **

 

“Let me be old and grumpy in peace.”

 

** SAM(Drack Omnitool): Dr. T’Perro has tasked me with keeping you reminded that you are  _not_ old, just grumpy.  **

 

Drack grumbled, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. “Yeah. Whatever.”


	39. Chapter 39

The Nexus’ new Ryder Park Plaza was turning into a really nice park, even by Nick’s standards. Pre-planted trees that had been brought as seeds during their 600 year flight were now being planted in an elegant fashion. Three cherry trees in a corner of the park, their green leaves bright in the artificial sun, would create an amazing sight when they bloomed. Lining a path to them was trees from Palaven, genetically altered to be able to thrive in less radioactive climates. Their trunks were an oddly metallic white color, and their leaves blue and had a metallic sheen to them. 

 

A few tables and seating were strewn about along pathways and in corners of the park. 

 

They didn’t have grass covering the ground, but a purple asari clover type plant that was very soft to the touch. Apple and orange trees intermingled with each other, and a two towering banana trees sat on either side of a bench.   
  
In the middle of the park was a fountain surrounded by seating both facing toward and away from it. They were working at planting fruits of all species around the seating area of the fountain, including a canopy that would be covered in vines. 

 

Everything in the park was either edible or would produce something edible. 

 

And it was glorious. 

 

Past the Ryder Park Plaza was the Hydroponics office and greenery where they housed plants not ready to be planted, and the stock of plants that were but they had yet to provide space for. 

 

On another part of the station Nick knew there was a couple acres that were currently being filled with soil from various worlds, creating perfect farming areas for each individual species. 

 

They even had a large pool being filled with Veold ice water and being filled with nutrients for the underwater crops of Sur’Kesh. 

 

Nick maneuvered her hover chair through the park and chose to recline the back when she found her way under the apple and orange trees. 

 

She hummed to herself as she relaxed, basking in the warmth of the artificial sunlight. 

 

Kandros had sent out APEX teams to round up Spender’s contacts off the Nexus, and the ones on the Nexus had been detained immediately. Spender, himself, was awaiting his exile in a cell.

 

She’d done a good job. And she felt good about it. 

 

Her records of the Hyperion’s landing and everything that came after were coming along great, but she’d need her sister’s first hand accounts of worlds before she wanted to type up anything. 

 

She missed Viveka. 

 

\-----

 

Viveka sighed as she read over the message from the Nexus.

 

** To: V.Ryder, Pathfinder **

** From: J.Tann, Initiative Director **

 

** Pathfinder,  I am happy to receive your report on the mission to Havarl. Our scientist have found several species of flora compatible with Salarian, Turian, and Human diets. Worthy of celebration in itself! **

 

** Finding some survivors from the lost Turian Ark is a major victory for us, as always, I look forward to any news on the missing Arks. Perhaps you can find a surviving Pathfinder, such as yourself. Then you needn’t over burden yourself as the others have more training?  **

 

** I have prepared a welcoming ceremony for the Turians who were found. I will meet you at the docks.  **

 

** Do remember to dress nicely, this will be a recorded event. I highly anticipate your arrival. **

 

Viveka frowned and forwarded the message to her sister, annoyed. If she was going to have to attend a formal event, Nick was going to be in a dress with her.

 

\-------

 

Evfra looked over the reports sent in from his scouts on Veold. The shielding on the Kett’s Command Center was of abnormally high quality. It would take a while to get in. 

 

The Kett command codes had been changed, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t get in. 

 

He would have to bring this news to the human. They were going to have to discreetly get into the fortress without detection. He needed Jaal back to analyze the shields.

 

His mouth curled in distaste at the thought of Jaal. 

 

He wasn’t going to want to return. He’d have to negotiate with the boy.  Jaal would refuse to leave the alien for any extended period of time, which was...understandable. 

 

The skutting alien and him were experiencing Ushior. Of all the people, it had to be an alien. 

 

He sighed. Yes, that was definitely something he would expect of Jaal, though. Jaal hadn’t been the same after the lover his brother took from him, and it got worse when they had been taken by the Kett. 

 

He  had almost lost himself.  It made sense that he’d become close with an outsider. 

 

Skutting aliens and their skutting taking of one of his skutting best soldiers.  _Skutting skkut._

 

Evfra threw down the data pad onto his desk, startling some of the soldiers in the headquarters. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. He needed Jaal to get information on that shielding before they attacked the base.  Jaal needed to be near the human. 

 

He could offer a longer term stay with the human,  and tell him he would deny a longer stay otherwise. 

 

\-----------

 

V iveka worked on her shotgun with careful precision, making sure her modifications would work just right. Generally speaking, guns were one of her easier projects she took on. Lifting up the weapon and testing the grip, she sighed and began removing it. She’d need something more firm, better suited for her smaller hands, and still comfortable to hold. 

 

Several options lay on the table before her, seemingly recklessly strewn about. Viveka was always a bit of a clutter-bug, but there was an organized chaos to how her mind worked. 

 

She didn’t flinch as the doors to her room opened, looking over her shoulder to see Vetra walking over with some mods she’d commissioned her to find. 

 

“Here you go, Viv.” Vetra said, her mandibles spread slightly in a small smile. “How’s it coming?”

 

“I’ve upgraded the damage output and weight, and I’m currently working on stability. I need to tweek some things for faster firing rate, and I’ve got upgrades for ammo capacity in mind.” Viveka said, lifting up the gun and feeling the latest grip. 

 

“I should bring you my widow and see what you can do with it.”

 

“Or Jaal, have you seen his kett weapon? Modded to hell. I can upgrade somethings, but I don’t know how rude it would be for me to ask.” 

 

“You know that guy wouldn’t say no.” 

 

“I don’t know...I don’t particularly like the thought of someone else modding Moshi-Moshi.”

 

“Moshi-Moshi? Really, Vivi?” PeeBee said, walking in with a spare piece she’d taken from a remnant Turret. She turned to Vetra, amused. “That’s another earth language, one that you have to go out of your way to find translator mods for. It’s...roughly...Hello, or Hi.”

 

Viveka glanced at PeeBee with a small smile. “It’s not just a greeting, it’s also used to get someone’s attention, kind of like hey, I’m speaking. It’s original intent was to keep kitsune-a mythological creature-from greeting us properly as they could only speak one syllable at a time.”  Viveka lifted the shotgun again, this time happy with the grip. 

 

“So..you named your gun ‘Hey’ or ‘Hello’.” Vetra said and Viveka grinned. 

 

“I named her Moshi-Moshi because she definitely gets the enemy’s attention.”

 

PeeBee snorted. “Not like you use it much anyway.”

 

“Hey! I happen to love Moshi-Moshi! She’s my back up when my Biotic implant over heats!” Viveka said and Vetra chuckled.

 

“You always over use your biotics. Anyway, I need to deliver some things to Jaal and Liam.” Vetra said as she walked out. PeeBee hovered around until Viveka used the Remnant Turret piece on an Automatic Assault Rifle, which was named Katsumi. Victorious beauty. PeeBee was amused by the names of the guns, but didn’t have the patience to stick around as she modded each one. 

 

By the time she was done, Jaal was entering her room with Tea. 

 

“Hey! Give me a minute.” Viveka said, picking up the mods and various tech strewn out over the table and placing them into a nearby box. Jaal blinked. 

 

“You...were working on your guns?” He asked, setting their tea on her desk and coming over, picking up the shotgun and looking at it. “How did I not know this?” He asked, shifting from foot to foot almost excitedly. “I wish I had looked more indepth at your weapons before! I have no idea what you’ve done to it!”

 

“Oh...uh...Well, Moshi-Moshi has been modified a lot. She’s got a much higher damage than most shotguns, faster reload times, larger ammo capacity, quicker firing rate, and I managed to take some weight off her. Oh, and I added some upgraded kinetic stabilizers.”

 

“Fascinating...I would like to work with you, see how you work on your weapons...if you are not adverse to sharing?” Jaal said, placing the gun back down and she smiled.

 

“As long as you don’t try to work on my girls, sure.” 

 

“Your...girls?” Jaal looked confused before something seemed to click. “Ah, you were referring to your gun as a female earlier. I assume you mean your guns?”

 

“Yes. No offense, but they’re my girls and I want to keep them up to par in my own way.”

 

“I understand. I will bring my own projects!” He was beaming at her and she laughed as she closed her toolkit and modification storage, shoving them under her bed. Next, she grabbed her guns and put them in various places on a bookshelf. 

 

“It’s a date, then.” Viveka said, grabbing a rag and wiping the table clean, as well as her hands. Jaal began purring and came over, taking the rag from her and wiping at her cheek with it. 

 

“You are a _mess.”_ He chuckled out and she grinned.

 

“I’ll go wash off.” She said, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead. 

 

“I will be waiting, darling one.”

 

\------

 

 

N ick scowled at the email, annoyed. Of course she was going to have to wear some damn dress or something because she wasn’t allowed to wear her armor yet. 

 

_Forget it, I don’t fucking miss her. Bitch._

 

She headed to Alec’s—her room with a deep scowl.

 


	40. Chapter 40

The asari doctor had come by today, to give her her leg braces and show her how to put them on.

 

She was expected to be able to stand for the formal event. Walk. She was sure she could do that _without_ the braces, but the doctors were worried she’d push herself.

 

Again.

 

She put them on, her feet slipping easily into the comfortable boots. The strange mix of metal and cybernetic fabric ran the outside of her leg, making her leg look as if made of a strange cybernetic mess of gleaming white Asari tech. She used the specialized glue where the cybernetics were to attach to her flesh, avoiding the metal joint at the side of her knee. Once she’d plastered the thing up all the way to her upper thigh, it bound with a strap, not too different from her thigh gun holsters she was use to using.

 

She’d already gone through the physical trial with them, Harry and the Asari had loomed over her like two over protective parents.   
  
She stood and walked to Alec—her--door and walked proudly down the halls of the Hyperion. Taking the tram, she made her way to the docks and brushed her hands down her black and red dress—it was a popular design. Tight fitting, black, with red running up the sides and cupping the underside of her breasts elegantly. Atop that, she’d put on a sheer black shawl, draping over her shoulders elegantly.

 

She was happy to find a dress that didn’t have sleeves. The neckline was a bit low, scooping down and allowing a bit of cleavage to poke out provocatively, but that was fine. That’s why she had the shawl. Sadly, she wasn’t able to put on shoes, but her leg braces had black boots on them, so she guessed it didn’t really matter too much.

 

Walking over to a bench by the Avina console, she sat and waited.

 

Viveka would be here soon.

 

\--------

 

Viveka looked herself over in the mirror. Her white dress was of a simple style, form fitting with long sleeves and a thigh length skirt. Apparently, the rofjinn part of the shoulder pieces Jaal gave her could be removed entirely and worn on its own.

 

The pink and purple fabric draped down her sides and back, a simple silver chain connecting the two pieces just below her collar bone.

 

She shifted slightly, knowing it showed off her cleavage. Sighing, she slipped on a pair of light blue flats and headed out of the room. It was still a couple hours before they landed on the Hyperion, but she had to make sure everyone was ready for it.

 

The crew was a flurry of activity, though everyone was dressed nicely for the event. Vetra had even gotten many of the Turians some formal wear, though Jaal made quick adjustments to them if they were too big or two small. Apparently, she had been selling and buying clothes of all sorts.

 

Viveka had long relinquished the demand that Vetra supplied her a list of supplies she had on board. Vetra had the specs of how much weight was allowed on each side of the ship, and how much of that needed to be actual Pathfinder Team supplies. Vetra was very good at what she did, even taking stock of Drack’s massive amount of food tucked away in iceboxes in various parts of the ship.

 

Viveka moved to the Tech Lab, smiling as the doors swished open. Jaal was fidgeting with his Rofjinn, clearly nervous. He had on a loose pair of pants over his _olasajinn_ and a tight, black, longsleeved shirt on. It strained against his muscled form, and Viveka was glad the rofjinn was covering his chest from her wandering eyes.

 

“Well, Jelly Bean, you’re lookin’ pretty nervous over there.” Viveka said and Jaal turned to look at her. His eyes travelled down her form and back up meeting hers.

 

“ _Viveka,_ you...are a wonder.” He said, closing the distance between them and pulling her fully in the Tech Lab so the doors could close.

 

Viveka wrinkled her nose with delight, blushing as he pulled her flush against him and giving her a small chaste kiss.

 

“And you, Jelly Bean, are _handsy.”_ She said as his hands drifted down her back and over her ass.

 

“We have talked about you dressing like a _meal,_ Taoshay.” He purred at her and she laughed. Standing up on her tiptoes, she pulled him down for another kiss. As they broke apart, he traced over her scooping neckline and hummed.

 

“You even blush here...” He murmured and she gave a snort.

 

“No playing with the boobs, Jelly Bean, I’ve gotta make sure everyone’s ready. I just wanted to come see you before hand.”

 

He purred, dropping his nose to her hair and gripped her hips. “Darling one, you are _mean.”_

 

“Nah.” She said, wrapping her arms around his waist. “If I was mean, I would have left you unprepared for how I was dressed until after we got on the Nexus. Now you know I’ll be distracting, and can actively work on trying not to be so... _distracted.”_

 

She pulled herself away from him then, giving him a wink before walking out. He groaned. As soon as the doors closed behind her, Viveka blushed beat red and dropped her face into her hands.

 

She totally just did that.

 

Oh, Jesus, she just did that.  
  
She straight up told him she knew he was going to be--

 

Oh, Jesus.

 

She tried not to run as she began making her rounds.

 

\----------

 

Cora tugged at her strappy blue dress, sighing. She hated formal events. She was trained well in how to infiltrate them, but formal work events were a completely different thing.

 

She turned and scowled at how large her rear looked in the dress. Initiative blue. That’s why she wore it...not because the color was the same as a certain Turian’s markings.

 

Not at all.

 

_Well, maybe a little._

 

 

\----------

 

PeeBee huffed as she uncomfortably shifted in the long, white Asari dress. She hated these kinds of things, but she knew she was expected to show up as part of the crew. She loathed it.

 

“Why do I have to? This is stupid.” She grumbled as she made her way to the Bio Lab to check on the eggs. She palmed the eggs and smiled. “Hey, chickies, hurry up and come see the world!”

 

\------

 

Liam grumbled as he pulled on a long sleeved white shirt and black slacks. He had to look _nice_ for a formal event. He didn’t even really own formal clothes!

 

He pulled on his shoes and walked out of his room, watching Lexi, in a slinky red dress, scold Drack, who refused to dress up, but had, begrudgingly, allowed the removal of the bones that decorated his armor.

 

Lexi was rubbing some oil over the armor with a cloth, telling him if he was going to be in his armor she was going to make it look like _nice_ armor.

 

Drack just grumbled something too low for Liam to hear, and scratched at his headplate.

 

Vetra was off to the side, her usual outfit on but in black and white with a longer tailcoat. Her waist looked...thinner? Than normal, too.

 

A few male Turians were hanging around her today, including the larger male Gil had been flirting with. And this time, he was flirting with Vetra.

 

Who looked like she was _really_ not interested.

 

Viveka stepped in them, curling an arm around Vetra’s arm and excusing them into Vetra’s storage area to talk.

 

Saved by the Pathfinder, it seems!

 

\--------

 

Suvi twirled for Kallo in her frilly green dress, laughing as he clapped for her.

 

“This is the one I was wearing when I had too many drinks—you know. The party where I tried to look up Jien Garson’s dress?”   
  
Kallo laughed at that. “Trying to redeem yourself?” He asked and Suvi grinned.

 

“Trying to redeem the dress! There’s no hope for me!”

 

\---------

 

Evfra scowled as he opened the email from Jaal. He knew they were headed to the alien’s hub, to drop off some refugees. He wondered if something had gone wrong. Knowing Jaal, it was entirely possible. Trouble seemed to find the boy.

 

**To: Evfra de Tershaav**

**From: Jaal Ama Darav**

 

**Evfra de Tershaav,**

 

**I have been invited to a celebratory event aboard the Nexus. The Initiative Leaders are welcoming the Turian aliens we rescued on Havarl, though there are only a few, and the lead on their Ark. I will update you on their activities at a later date. Here is what I know of the Leadership of the aliens so far.**

 

**The Pathfinder has ultimate say in outposts. The Pathfinder can and will override orders given by the Initiative Leaders, should she see fit. The Human’s ship—their Ark—is the only one that’s presence is known. All others are lost, and The Pathfinder is looking to find them. She is effectively their leader, though the others try to give her orders as if they were in charge.**

 

**The Pathfinder, as the one who holds the responsibility of Terra-forming worlds and providing everyone of these aliens a home, is often talked down to, as if she were less than worthy. Her True-Father died to save her, and passed this role to her. She stands in his shadow. I fear if she does not have someone to talk to about these things she will break. I try to talk to her about these things, but she changes the subject fairly quickly.**

 

**It hurts her to talk of family.**

 

**It makes me sad.**

 

**The Initiative Director, Tann, a Salarian, has not come across as a proper leader. His disrespect of other aliens that came with them has caused a split in their forces. He is also very rude to The Pathfinder, as if he felt himself worth more than her. I dislike him. The Pathfinder says he’s simply scared and nervous, so he hides his feelings and lashes out at others.**

 

**The Director of Colonial Affairs, Addison, a Human, often calls to ask The Pathfinder about any new outposts. Her pressure to settle worlds that are not open to them has been fought against by The Pathfinder, who is primarily in charge of which worlds to settle. Addison is not happy about The Pathfinder’s respect of our worlds. The Pathfinder did not tell Addison about Aya’s ecosystem or viability, simply stating that ‘Our newly made relationship with the Angara is too fragile for your damned outposts. You can’t make me do anything to piss off the locals.” The Pathfinder says this one is worried about their people, and makes rash decisions having never been out on the field herself.**

 

**The Maintenance and Economic Director, Kesh, a Krogan. The Pathfinder has a very good rapport with this one, and the Krogan, Drack, on the crew is related to this Director. Kesh is kind, and straight forward with her feelings. I feel as if she is a good leader and person. She approves of The Pathfinder and her decisions. She often calls to check in on The Pathfinder, sometimes as a friend and not a leader. She is kind.**

 

**The Head of Security, Tiran Kandros, has had past relations with The Pathfinder and they are still on good terms. He is a good person, I had drinks with him our last visit to the Nexus. He is a Turian and is a good soldier, I have been told. He is not as good as The Pathfinder, but he has Military experience. He also believes we need an Alliance, and has defended The Pathfinder’s actions to the Directors on various occasions. He warns them that if they overstep and try to solve things on their own, they will likely start a war. I am certain his words are true.**

 

 

**There is much to the aliens I still do not know, but with The Pathfinder leading them, I trust them.**

 

**\--Jaal Ama Darav**

 

**(1 attached file)**

 

Evfra opened the attached file to find himself looking at the human dressed in some formal garb, her arm intertwined into Jaal’s. She was looking up at the Angara with a light blush dusting her cheeks. Jaal looked pleased, smiling widely at the camera, his chest out and his shoulder’s back. He dwarfed the human significantly, but that didn’t seem to matter to either of them.

 

He’d even made her a rofjinn.

 

Evfra rubbed his brows.

 

_Skutting human. Skutting Jaal. They obviously were already entangled, deeply bonding with each other. There was no way he would get Jaal to leave her for a significant amount of time. Skkut. I have to figure something out someway. Jaal is my best soldier with technology. We can’t lose his expertise when we were getting so close to retrieving the Moshae._

 

Evfra growled low in his throat. He would speak to the two when they get to Aya.

 


	41. Chapter 41

Viveka was back.

 

Nikita Ryder watched as the Tempest touched down and she stood. Tann rushed by her, climbing up onto crates as a make shift stage. Kandros passed her as she made her first few steps, eagerly awaiting to see who made it off the Ark in those escape pods.

 

Kesh and Addison were next to pass her, walking side by side to stand next to Kandros.

 

She didn’t care about that.

 

She walked around the leaders, watching as the Tempest completed docking procedures. Turning her attention to the decontamination chamber’s doors she waited.

 

The first to appear were a couple Turians. Next, the Asari—PeeBee she remembered—popped through the doors with a skip in her step and a smile on her face. More Turians unloaded, including a female with coat tails. A Krogan came through next, crossing his arms as another Asari walked in behind him, giving his arm a gentle pat. More Turians came through with two human men. The men seemed to be laughing about something, and the largest Turian turned his head to look at them with a small laugh of his own.

 

Next was Purple Prince Charming himself, and holding his hand was Viveka.

 

Nick leaned on the railing over-seeing the docking area and she caught Viveka’s eyes.

 

Viveka immediately began pushing past the others, dragging the large purple male behind her as she went.

 

“Darling one—oh! Dear one’s sister!” Jaal waved enthusiastically at Nick and she rolled her eyes. Viveka turned to the security guards scanning them and scowled.

 

“We done? Good.” Viveka said, not giving the security guard time to answer as she tugged Jaal past them and made straight for her sister.

 

“Nick! You’re up and walking!” Viveka said, wrapping her arms around Nikita. Nick hugged her back, smiling.

 

Suddenly both of them were lifted up off the ground by the large Angara. “I am happy! You are with _family_ again!” He nearly shouted, causing Viveka to laugh and Nick to scowl.

 

“Jelly Bean, you’re so _loud.”_ Viveka giggled out.

 

“Put me down, or I’m going to cut off your arms.” Nick growled out and Jaal sheepishly placed them on their feet.

 

“I...ah...I--” Jaal stammered, causing Viveka to laugh more, giving him a pat on his arm.

 

“You’re fine, Jelly Bean.”  
  
As the Turians filed through, Tann began some welcoming speech, greeting them as if he was solely responsible for the Nexus. Addison rolled her eyes, Kesh gave a snort, and Kandros simply stepped forward after the speech, his mandibles clacking with annoyance.

 

“Tiran Kandros. I will lead you all to the festivities. I’m sure you’d all like some real food—and during the celebration we’ll be assigning you rooms. If you would rather bunk with specific members of your group, I suggest bringing them with you when your name is called. We still have limited space, and any who are fit for duty will be put to work within the week. You will all be given Data pads with information you need to fill out. We are happy to have you all here. Welcome.” He gave a Turian salute, then, beating left fist to his right shoulder with a loud metal hitting metal sound that went echoing through the docking bay.

 

The rescued Turians all repeated the move at the same time, like a well oiled machine. Military training was ingrained in Turian society, all of them having been through training since they were children.

 

Jaal quirked his head at the sight, then looked at Viveka and Nikita who both resumed conversation.

 

“So, I see your taste in men definitely still runs along the totally not human lines.” Nick said with amusement and Viveka grinned.  
  
“What can I say? He’s abso—ACK!” Viveka was cut off as PeeBee launched herself at her, basically plastering herself to Viveka’s back.

 

“Heya! Remember me? I’m PeeBee!” The asari said, releasing Viveka and wrapping her arm around Nick’s. “So, hot stuff, wanna be my date for the party?”

 

Nick quirked a brow at the Asari. “Viv, you got too many handsy members on the ship.”  
  
Vetra walked over with a snort. “Tell me about it. Glad to see you’re making progress. Vetra Nix. I’m Viv’s requisition officer and sniper. Nice to meet you.” Vetra said as she peeled PeeBee off Nick. “That guy over there with the light skin is Gil Brodie, our Mechanic. Don’t play poker with him. Next to him, the dumb looking one, that’s Liam.”  
  
“HEY! I’m not dumb looking! I’m handsome as fuck!” Liam said, crossing his arms as he walked over.  
  
Vetra gave a small chuckle before gesturing past them. “The red head over there is Suvi Anwar, our resident science officer and all around wild child. That Salarian over there is Kallo, he’s the best pilot we could ask for. I heard you know our second-in-command, Cora Harper, already, but next to her is Lexi T’Perro, our medical officer. And next to Lexi is Nakmor Drack, he’s the on-the-go grandpa.”  
  
“And that makes you Nakmor, too, kid. Should you be walking, or you live on pure will power?” Drack said, uncrossing his arms. “Lets go get to the stupid party.”

 

“ _Kid?_ And I can fucking walk. _”_ Nick grouched out but Viveka spoke over her.  
  
“Bored, Gramps? She’s got clearance, she knows we’d have a fight if she didn’t.” Viveka asked and Drack snorted.

 

“I want to get to my Ru’Shan.”

 

“Oh, well yeah, lets head over before you die from lack of contact with Kesh.” Viveka said, grabbing Jaal’s hand and hooking her arm into Nick’s.

 

Tann walked over, a frown on his face. “Pathfinder, it wouldn’t look well on us if you’re late. And we’ll be having a talk about...your fraternization with your crew.”

 

Cora popped up suddenly, smiling as she hooked an arm around Tann’s. “Director! I have so much to discuss with you!” She said, leading Tann away.

 

Viveka quirked a brow, but headed toward the Vortex, where the celebrations were being held, Jaal on her left and Nick on her right, PeeBee still next to her with a grin.

 

The rest followed behind them, everyone talking about something or another.

 

The Vortex’s music was as loud as ever, and the smell of alcohol and pheromones twice as strong. Drack, Liam, Vetra, and Suvi made their way to the bar immediately, Drack having immediately found Kesh and talking with her. Viveka, Jaal, Nick, and PeeBee grabbed a table near the bar after getting a round of orders, where Lexi squeezed in next to Jaal. Kallo found himself on one end of the table, Gil on the other.

 

“You two aren’t fucking yet, right?” Nick asked and Viveka flushed red.

  
“I told you we aren’t!” Viveka said, Jaal chuckling beside her.

 

“You are endearing when you’re embarrassed, Taoshay.” He said, letting his gaze rake over her body. She blushed even more, grabbing her drink.

 

“Don’t you start with the smooth talking!” Viveka said, elbowing him before taking a sip. PeeBee laughed.

 

“She’s going to get it _good_ when she does—Jaal told me a bit about Angara. It’s _amazing_.” PeeBee announced and Viveka frowned at Jaal.

 

“Sex talk with other women is looked down upon in human relationships, Jaal.” Viveka said, though her words lacked bite.

 

“Ah—We were talking about Angara culture at the time. I was directing her in the direction of _other_ Angara, my darling. It was...the day you were dressed so... _deliciously._ ” Jaal said, and Nick crossed her arms.

 

Viveka jabbed him in the side. “Can we stop talking about this?”

 

“Sex talk is still fucking _sex talk_. Talking about how fucking Angara _fuck_ to another fucking woman is gonna draw attention to _you_ and how _you_ fuck. And could you stop talking about Viv’s body like you’re going to _eat her out on the damn table?!_ ” Nick snarled out and Jaal blinked.

 

“I would not disrespect her so!” Jaal said, wrapping his arms around Viveka. “I _adore_ my Taoshay! I could never—would never!”  
  
“Pffft, you should’ve seen how bad he fucking panicked when he thought we gave Viv the impression we were interested in each other. I mean, fuck yeah I am interested, but I’m not into taking other ladies’ men.” PeeBee said, grinning. “Though...that threesome idea from befo--”

 

Jaal scowled. “No. When my dear one wishes for my attentions, I will lavish her in them, no other.”

 

“Can we _please_ change the subject?!” Viveka said, and Nick laughed.

 

“No fucking way, stupid. I want to know if this guy is gonna fuck you up or not.” Nick said, turning her nose up. “You’ve had enough fucked up relationships to fucking last a lifetime.”

 

“Oookay. For one, Jaal can’t even _lie_ to me. And the only fucking he’s probable to do is in bed...um...if or when we get that far.” Viveka said, crossing her arms. Jaal chuckled and purred happily next to her, sipping at his drink as he did so. She always looked amazing, and with her face flushed with embarrassment he just wanted to kiss her.

 

“He can omit facts.” Nick said, tipping her glass towards him. “I bet Prince Charming is hiding _some thing_ from you.”

 

Jaal squirmed in his seat. “I have some things I have not mentioned...but I _do_ plan on talking to my dearest about them at a more...appropriate time. It is too early to speak of such things.”

 

Viveka turned to him, quirking a brow. “ _Important_ things?”

 

“Ah...Yes...” He said, gripping her hip tight. “I...Do not wish to have you worried about it, Dear one. It is not something I wish to rush into speaking about.”

 

Viveka narrowed her eyes at him, as did Nick.

 

“Important things should fucking be discussed. Soon.” Nick said with a frown.

 

Viveka thought a moment and shrugged, snuggling into Jaal’s side. “If it’s really that important, I think you would have talked to me about it. It can wait.”

 

Lexi piped up then with a cough. “It is absolutely normal for there to be some secrets, for everyone. I doubt Viveka has spoken to Jaal about her past completely. I doubt that you, Nick, would discuss _yours_ with your partner in the early stages, either.” Nick huffed and nodded. It was true, she would probably never tell anyone who didn’t already know her past.

 

Jaal pressed his nose into Viv’s hair and nuzzled her affectionately. “I will tell you about it privately, my darling one. And, I do not expect you to tell me more about your past than you already have. I would follow you to the darkest of worlds, the end of the stars. I would never ask more of you than you are willing to give, my starlight.”

 

“Oh, gag, poetry fuckery.” Nick said, crossing her arms. “Are all Angara like you?”

 

“Ah...we are very free with our emotions. I write, from time to time, I may be a bit more poetic than others. I do not think some are poetic in any sense of the word. My brother, Lathoul is quite good with words, but my sister Teviint is...awkward. Shy with people she comes to grow feelings for. Jivven, my true brother, is more...He is like Evfra, darling one, only less...mean.”

 

“So strong, silent type?” Viveka asked and Jaal nodded. _That’s a lot of siblings…_ Viveka thought, worried.

 

“ _Very_ strong! He can lift _me_ with one hand! He once threw me off a balcony in anger!” Jaal said, laughing.

 

PeeBee grinned. “When are you introducing _me_ to your brother?”

 

“So...how big is your family?” Viveka asked and Jaal blinked.

 

“Ah, good thing we have drinks and snacks…This...will take a while.” Jaal said with a smile. “Angara families are very big compared to your Meelky Way species. I have five mothers, one of which is my true mother. Ah...True mothers are the ones that birth us. I have six true siblings, twenty-seven siblings in total. And I have many, _many_ cousins. I have several aunts from each mother. Several of my siblings have bonded and had their own children...” Jaal chuckled at the looks on everyone’s faces.

 

“So, family is pretty important to you, huh?” PeeBee asked and he felt Viveka tense up a little. Letting his thumb draw circles on her hip, he smiled down at Viveka.  
  
“Of course. My family is very important, just as all of you are important to each other as a family.” Jaal said, smiling. His bioelectrics thrummed out, spreading over Viveka in waves. Viveka shifted uncomfortably and Nick was frowning at her drink. Jaal raised an eyebrow ridge at the two. “Darling one, are you okay?”

 

“She’s fine.” Nick answered for her, grabbing Viveka’s hand. “Something else important that fucking needs discussing.”

 

It wasn’t long before Drack sat opposite of Lexi having brought over food for everyone. Liam came over with another round of drinks and sitting.

 

“Hey, Lex, Kesh wants you to send her my medical shit.” Drack said to the doctor, who nodded. He turned toward Nick. “Eat.”

 

Nick glared and Viv chuckled. “He’s worried about you, Nick, eat some for Gramps.”

 

“Old bastard.” Nick grumbled, but grabbed some skewers covered in meat and vegetables.

 

“It is good to have family to look out for you. And to look out for.” Jaal said, his rumbling purrs making Nick roll her eyes.

 

“Space cat thinks he’s fucking cute.” Nick said, taking a bite of her food.

 

“He _is_ cute.” Viv said, already taking a bite of a rather large leg.

 

“Almost _everyone_ on the ship is cute as _fuck.”_ PeeBee added with a grin, turning to Nick. “ _You_ are sexy as fuck, just like your sis, though.”

 

“Knock it off.” Drack growled at PeeBee, drinking his Ryncol. “Damn kids.”

 

“They’re fine, Drack. Let them have some fun.” Lexi said, taking a bite of some strange purple asari plant.

 

“What are you eating, dearest?” Jaal asked, curious. “What are all these foods?”

 

“Oh...uh. I’m eating Turkey leg—we brought livestock in cryo for food purposes. Nick’s eating beef, red and green peppers, and onion on that stick. Liam has chicken, and Gil over there’s got a burger. I’m not sure what half of the Asari foods are...or the Dextro foods. Um...” She scanned the food quickly and handed Jaal a bowl of fruit. “Apples, Bananas, Oranges, and Cherries. Fruits from Earth. They’re safe for you.”

 

**SAM(Jaal’s omnitool): In large quantities, cherries will harm your system. It is best to eat a variety of Earth fruit rather than indulge in one.**

 

“Fruits from Earth! Can I take some to the ship to study?” Jaal asked, and Viveka nodded.

 

“We’re going to have to give you something to do while Nick shares my room, anyway.”

 

“I am _not_ sharing your room. You’re getting Jaal’s fucking jack off center installed.” Nick said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Wait, _what is being installed?!”_ PeeBee says, slamming her hands on the table and standing to look over at Jaal and Viveka. “You _so_ have to spill.”

 

Viveka blushed heavily, trying to ignore PeeBee, and Jaal chuckled. “Okay, so Jaal’s moving in with me...uh...if you want to that is.”

 

“ _Don’t ignore my question!_ ”

 

“Darling one, I will begin moving my equipment immediately. I can not wait to spend so much time with you.” He purred out, taking a bite of an apple. His eyes widened. “This is...tart.”

 

“ _Is no one else curious about Jaal having a secret masturbation room?”_ PeeBee asked, looking around.

 

“Some apples can be, yeah.” Liam said, laughing. “We should get him a lemon! And, Peebs, I really don’t need to know when or where Jaal is doing his thing.”

 

Nick grinned. “Sam decided for them. It’s none of _your_ business.” Nick said, grabbing another skewer.

 

“Don’t use him as an experiment, Liam!” Viveka said, waving her Turkey leg at Liam. She then turned her leg at PeeBee. “Jaal’s

 

**SAM(PeeBee’s Omnitool): Mr. Ama Darav is given exclusive to rights use a private bathroom that is currently being set up for construction in the Pathfinder’s room, along with Nikita Ryder and Viveka Ryder.**

 

“Lemons are _reeeaaallly_ sour. And it’s so not fair you and Vivi get a _private shower_!” PeeBee said to Jaal, who blinked.

 

“I want to try this...Leh-mon.” Jaal said and Viveka giggled. Nick snorted next to her.

 

“Lemon. Here, have this one, I don’t like’em and they always put them in my fucking drinks.” Nick said, handing a lemon over to Jaal.

 

Jaal immediately bit into the sour fruit before pulling it out of his mouth with a tight look on his face and guzzling down his drink. “Th-That is _awful._ Bitter and sour, not at all pleasant!”

 

Everyone began laughing at Jaal’s discomfort and Viveka had taken a picture of his face as soon as he bit into the lemon. “This is going up on the wall!” Viveka announced, showing the picture to everyone.

 

“The first picture of me on the wall is _that?!”_

 

Vetra talked to Suvi at the bar for a bit before they made their way over with some of the newer finger foods from the bar.

 

“Hey, guys, look! We’ve got fried Adhi and Fiend kabobs!” Suvi said, plopping into a seat. Vetra chuckled. “And some _rixlor_ for me.”

 

Jaal almost jumped as Viveka turned and snuggled her back against him while she talked to her sister, explaining what Adhi and Fiends were. Looking down, he swallowed hard as he saw the shape of her ass, especially when she leaned forward now. Viveka was always animate when she talked, using her hands to give visuals.

 

Right now, that meant every time she emphasized something, she leaned forward just a bit. He wrapped his hand around her middle and hefted her up into his lap easily. She seemed to pay no mind to his actions while Nick raised an eyebrow.

 

“Your boy toy seems to want attention, Viv.” Nick said, earning a round of laughter from the crew. Jaal smiled, pressing his lips to Viveka’s neck before eating a banana.

 

“He’s _always_ picking her up.” Liam said, grinning. “You missed the Angara Throne day.”

 

“The Queen demands silence!” Viveka said, waving her half eaten Turkey leg at Liam. Another round of laughter hit the table and Nick smirked.

 

“Angara Throne?”

 

Cora came in with Tann almost a full thirty minutes later. Tann looked pleased for some reason, giving Viveka a grin and a nod before walking off to mingle with the Turians.

 

Cora pulled up a chair, sitting down. “I just saved you from a lecture, thank me later.”  
  
Nick snorted. “The whole fucking the alien envoy lecture, or the you aren’t Alec lecture? Or the pure spite because he can’t do his own job correctly lecture?”

 

Cora grinned. “All three.” Nick raised an eyebrow at her and Cora smiled. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

 

“I hope you’ll be telling _me,_ considering I have to deal with him _all the time.”_ Viveka said with a pout. “He _really_ doesn’t like me.”

 

Jaal looked down at Viveka, who was now crossing her arms under her breasts, pushing them up enticingly. His eyes widened a fraction before he looked away quickly, focusing on the fruits in front of him.

 

Now was not the time to think about how soft she was.

 

Or how soft those had been when she pressed against him for a kiss…

 

Or how she was currently shifting in his lap closer to his—oh she sat between his legs, draping hers over his thigh and smiling up at him.

 

“Viveka, fucking seriously?” Nick said, rolling her eyes. “I really don’t want to see you two all over each other. Fucking gross.”

 

“I don’t know—I _really_ want to see it.” PeeBee chirped, taking a picture of the two. “ _That’s_ going into my personal collection.”

 

“ _Oh my god,_ I’m just getting comfy, guys!”

 

After a while, Kandros began calling Turians onto the stage for Data Pads and room assignments. He had been busy gathering every Turian’s name and rank before hand. After room assignments were given out, he came over and stood behind Cora.

 

“Enjoying the party, I see.” Kandros said, looking over at Jaal and Viveka with a quirked brow. “And the company.”

 

“My Angara Throne and I refuse to acknowledge that statement, metal butt.”

 

“Right, squishy cheeks. Anyway, I need to steal your second-in-command, here.”

 

Cora looked up at him and nodded, standing. “Work never ends.” She said, turning and walking out of the Vortex with Kandros.

 

“They’re so going to bang.” Liam said and PeeBee laughed.


	42. Chapter 42

Jaal thought everything about Viveka was beautiful. From the way her hair was colored, right down to her too-many toed flat feet.

 

Watching her dance, he felt as if she was denied a life she could have enjoyed much more. There was a scar on her shoulder, from where an Observer got her and destroyed her shoulder armor. And another next to it where she’d gotten burned by the hazardous tree sap on Havarl.

 

He knew these scars well, having witnessed their makings. They lay hidden under the long sleeved dress and the Rofjinn she wore.  
  
Still, she danced in the Vortex like a beautiful flickering bit of starlight. She moved with grace, her hands just so and her toes would point elegantly. Sometimes she would flit from partner to partner, blessing them with her presence.

 

Nick watched Jaal carefully, waiting for him to somehow show some other side of himself.

 

He didn’t.

 

He watched her sister with an expression of awe and love, sometimes letting out a sputtering purr when she was twirled or moved her hips just right. His pupils were blown out just slightly, and there was a growing flush spreading up his cowl—an odd blue shade that darkened his purple coloring just slightly.

 

He wasn’t taking part in any of the conversation around them, so caught up in watching Viveka.  
  
“He’s hooked.” PeeBee whispered next to her. Nick nodded.

 

“Has he shown otherwise?” Nick asked carefully. PeeBee shook her head.

 

“I was trying to bag him before, you know? Just for some fun. But, he’s seriously head over heels.” PeeBee sighed and leaned back. “I think it has to do with their weird bioelectric and biotic connection.”

 

Nick turned to PeeBee, raising an eyebrow. “What? A fucking connection?”

 

PeeBee shrugged. “I don’t know exactly what I keep seeing, but their energies keep...mixing. Like if one rises up, the other comes out with these like strings or something. Sometimes if they both just let loose it becomes this whirlpool around them. They glow—like they’re making a galaxy all by themselves.”

 

“It is called Ushior.” Jaal said suddenly, not taking his gaze off Viveka. “I will not tell you anymore than that—it is...private. Treasured.”

 

Nick narrowed her eyes at him. “Have you talked to her about this shit?”

 

“To an extent. I will be having more discussions with her about it after we speak with Evfra...he is the one deciding our alliance.” Jaal paused, turning his gaze to Nick, who, while identical to his beloved, didn’t shine so brightly in his eyes. Didn’t have the feel of ocean waves caressing his skin.

 

“What the fuck will you do if he disagrees to an alliance with us?” Nick asked and Jaal turned his eyes back to Viveka.

 

“I will follow my Taoshay anywhere. I will not leave her side.”

 

“I expect you to follow up on those words, Purple Prince Charming. I’ll find you and kill you if you hurt her.” Nick’s words lacked bite, but he could feel the seriousness in her threat.

 

“You won’t have to.” Jaal turned his eyes to her, his eyes honest and open. “If I were to harm her intentionally, it would be just before my own death.”

 

“You’d fucking kill yourself?” Nick asked as PeeBee stared with wide eyes at him. Gil paused in his poker game with Liam, Drack, and Kallo, all four looking over at him, surprised.

 

“Yo, that’s fuckin’ deep shit.” Liam said, blinking.

 

Drack huffed, looking back to his cards. “Better mean those words, boy.”

 

“Anyone or anything that harms her will die.” Jaal said, his lips curling and a light hiss escaping his teeth. “I am considering if the salarian...Tann...has caused her enough pain to warrant the consequences of killing him.”

 

“No.” Drack answered as the poker game continued.

 

Nick stood suddenly, grabbing Jaal by the arm and forcing him up. “If you’re serious, we are going to have a chat. Take me to the Tempest.”

 

Kallo gave a light sniff. “Don’t break anything.”  
  
Gil nodded. “Seconded.”

 

Jaal nodded, before looking to Nikita. “I must tell Viveka I will be back.” He said, gently removing her hand from his arm and striding to the dance floor.

 

Nick watched, eyes narrowed. He said something to Viveka quietly before leaning down, taking her face into his hands, and kissing her lips softly. Lovingly. Viveka smiled at him, saying something with a blush on her cheeks and she pulled him down for another kiss before Jaal turned away with a smile and walked back.

 

“You’re seriously going to make me sick with how much you smother her with all of...that.” Nikita said, waving her hand towards him vaguely.

 

“I would never smother her!” Jaal said as they walked to the Tempest, causing Nick to raise an eyebrow at him.

 

“It’s another way of saying you’re all over her all the time. As if you’re fucking smothering her.”

 

“Ah. Yes, your language is...difficult at times.”

 

They entered the decontamination chamber, and Nick waited patiently for the automatic doors to open to them.

 

Once inside, Nick followed Jaal to the Tech Lab, where the construction workers could not over hear their conversation.

 

Nick sat on a crate nearby, tapping her red painted nails on the metal surface. The darkened room made her uncomfortable.

 

“Viveka won’t tell you now, not after your show of how damn important family is.” Nick said, crossing her arms. “It’s her primary reason for break ups—when they find out they leave.” Her eyes turned on him, her pupils smaller than he’d ever seen on a human, the blues of her eyes making it seem like a pinprick. “If you leave because of this, ever, you will cause more irreparable harm to her.”

 

“There is nothing you could tell me about my Taoshay that could make me wish to leave her side.”

 

“Her womb can’t hold children. She can’t give you any children, even if by some weird miracle our species are compatible. She’s already had surgery after surgery to try to fix it.” Nick said, and Jaal closed his eyes.  
  
“I knew there was something odd about her fertility, I have done research into humans...her results were off when I tested her blood. She produces eggs fine, I have seen her in her monthly cycle, but the problem lies directly with the womb?” Jaal asked, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his thighs.

 

“Her first time—it was with a Turian. Humans can range in allergy to their fluids. They thought because she didn’t flare up in allergies when they kissed, she was fine. She fucking wasn’t. He told her he did the research, told her he knew what he was fucking doing...but he fucking didn’t. He fucking came in her and she nearly died.” Nick crossed her arms and her nails dug into her skin. “Her first love nearly killed her because he was too fucking antsy to have sex with her. She was 17.”

 

Jaal paled. “I have done research on her allergic reactions to me and everything ranging from prolonged skin contact to fluids...I can not...I can not imagine stepping forward without such precautions.”

 

“Viveka trusted him, and he destroyed a future she had looked forward to. She wanted to get married and have kids and be some sort of housewife. Now she feels like she can’t give that to anyone. So be on edge, you’ve just scared the shit out of her with your important family.”

 

Jaal choked. “I must—I will fix this. I do not _need_ children to be happy. I need _her.”_

 

“Yeah, well, now you know one of her secrets. She would’ve kept it from you, now that she knows how important your species holds family. She never stays long with family oriented men.” Nick pushed herself off the crate, moving towards the door. “She thinks she’s always going to be a temporary lover, but she always looks for someone to actually fall for her as easily as she does for them. Don’t fuck this up, Prince Charming.”

 

She left him then, and Jaal’s face fell into his hands as he wept.

 

She was hurting.

 

She was always hurting.

 

She was scared and hurting and it was _always there._

 

“ _Liam, Kandros and I dated when we were teenagers. At most he’d probably have some casual sex with me now, but he certainly wouldn’t settle down with me.” Viveka said, pointedly patting Kandros’ mandible. He gave a soft growl. “We have too much history, and we would clash too much on a personal level.”_

 

Jaal growled low in his throat, his fingers digging into the back of his cowl with rage.

 

He had _hurt_ Viveka.

 

Tiran Kandros had _irreparably hurt Viveka._

 

_And it felt coveted, cherished, but feared._

_He didn’t want her to fear her feelings for him. She did not find shame in it, she was happy for it, but scared all the same._

 

Jaal stood, striding out of the Tech Lab. He had to fix this. He had to...do something. Say something. Anything.

 

_He began feeling her self-doubt. Her fear shifted, changing into another one._

 

_She was afraid to run him off. He was certain, now._

 

He would never be chased away from her. He had to tell her about the Ushior, and what it means. He had to. He never loved anyone as he loved her. He adored her, more than anything.

 

“ _So, family is pretty important to you, huh?” PeeBee asked and he felt Viveka tense up a little. Letting his thumb draw circles on her hip, he smiled down at Viveka._

 

He loved Viveka. He loved her more than _family._ He had to let her know. He felt tears prick his eyes as he made his way to the Vortex.

 

He didn’t want to lose her.

 

He was terrified.

 

His heart hurt.


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of part 3! Part 4 will be up soon!!

When he re-entered the Vortex, Jaal’s eyes immediately found Viveka. She was currently dancing with PeeBee, a saucy little dance that had them almost pressed up against each other. He watched as she was dipped by the slightly taller Asari, then handed off to a pretty drunk Suvi. Suvi and Viveka danced haphazardly, with Viveka leading Suvi backwards until Vetra managed to place her talons on Suvi’s shoulders.  
  
Vetra said something to the drunk woman, who laughed. Vetra rolled her eyes then and led the silly red head away from the dancefloor and back to the table.

 

Turning his eyes back to the dance floor, he found Viveka walking over to him, sweat glistening on her skin. She smiled wide, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she did so. He lifted a hand and grabbed hers, gently bringing it to his lips and caressing the knuckles with a feather light kiss. She blushed and he smiled, turning her hand and pressing a kiss to her pulse point. She giggled.

 

He took the moment to pull her closer, lifting her up carefully, so that he could keep his hand on the edge of her dress to hold it up. “Taoshay, you are beautiful.” He murmured as he left the Vortex, her safely tucked up in a princess hold. “I wish to speak to you, privately, my wondrous star. The construction poses a problem, however. Is there somewhere we can go?”

 

Viveka smiled. “Nick told me there was a new park, named after us amazing Ryders, of course. Which reminds me, you still have yet to admit the amazingness of my legs!”

 

Jaal chuckled, nuzzling into her hair with his nose for a moment. “Let us find this park of yours, and I may possibly tell you all about how inferior your legs are.”

 

Viveka laughed, grabbing his shoulders and hauling herself up for a quick kiss. “My legs are _amazing._ Now, the park should be somewhere past the Hydroponics...over that way!” She said, pointing to their right. Jaal adjusted his grip on her and began walking quickly.

 

He adored her.

 

He would do anything for her.

 

He didn’t even pause in the very intriguing Hydroponics office, where all sorts of plants he’d never seen before were growing.

 

Viveka pointed this way and that, making some educated guesses sometimes.

 

Eventually they found themselves at the park, which was mostly empty except for the one or two wanderers.

 

He placed Viveka on her feet and she smiled, grabbing his hand and running through the asari plants, all the way to the end where two tall banana trees loomed over a bench. “These are Banana trees!” Viveka said, pointing up at the long extended leaves. “I can’t believe they have all this in the park, over there, you can see apples and oranges on those trees! And those kind of metal trees? _Rinteel_ fruits from the Turian homeworld!”

 

“These are all very beautiful, darling one, and I am very curious to each one, but I must speak with you.” He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and she stopped, turning to him. She was tense, worried. He smiled and guided her to the bench, pressing a soft kiss to her hairline as he sat down next to her.

 

“So...what’s this about?” Viveka asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. His bioelectrics sparked out, licking at her skin and coaxing out her biotics slowly. She shifted uncomfortably as she felt his determination and worry.

 

“We Angara have a name for...what your biotics and my bioelectrics are doing. The sharing of emotions goes beyond norm for Angara communication, invasive and private.” He said, taking both her hands in his. “It is called Ushior...it is taken as a...inseparable bond. It is sacred, sought after by many. In Angara society, this would have been call for an immediate bond tying...ah...hm...I believe it is called marriage for you humans?”

 

Viveka blushed, blinking rapidly. “Uh...yeah...are you saying you want to marry me, Jelly Bean?”

 

Jaal chuckled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her lips. “While that would make me very happy, it is not what I wish to explain.” He said, purring. “We who find Ushior treasure that partner...above all others. Sometimes, we have partners of the same gender, those who can not breed, yet we are bound by our own love of this person. It is rare, beautiful. We would never give this up, not for any reason.”

 

Viveka began blinking rapidly, trying to quell tears. “W-What are you saying?”

 

“Your sister...told me. About...how the turian harmed you...” He shifted uncomfortably. “I want to kill him for such carelessness...but I know you are still fond of him. I...am lost as how to handle my feelings on this particular subject. I am rambling, I know. I wish to tell you...I wish you to know that you are my _everything._ We do not have to have children, we can adopt if you wish...I have already told you I would follow you anywhere. I meant it, my Taoshay. I would leave everything I know, go back to the Meelky Way with you if you wished it...” Tears were spilling from both their eyes now as he leaned close and pressed his forehead against hers. “I...I want us to be together. Until all the stars turn their faces and darken the sky, I wish for us to be together.”

 

Viveka felt a sob spill from her throat and she was pulled across his lap. He could feel her relief, joy, fear, and worry through her biotics and he wished desperately to quell them.

 

“I...You’re sure? Knowing that...I can’t have any...I can’t even artificially...” Viveka choked out, and Jaal smiled through his tears.

 

“Viveka, even if your body had been incompatible to my own, I would have wished to be with you. You and your...amazing legs.” Jaal said, and Viveka choked out a laugh.

 

“You had to wait until our room was under construction to tell me all this?” She laughed out, wrapping her arms around his cowl and kissing his cheek as she pressed herself close.

 

“I waited...because I did not wish you to fear I only wanted you because the Ushior. I adore you, I, against all reason, love you. All of you. With all your strange alien tendencies and confusing language.” He said, feeling as she shifted to straddle him, uncaring that her dress began hiking up her thighs. He tucked her Rofjinn under her bottom with a small chuckle. “You are reckless.”

 

She pulled back then and grinned, wiping away her tears. “And you love it.”

 

“Yes, I do.” He agreed, pressing his lips to hers softly. “Say we can truly belong to each other, Viveka. That we can be together.”

 

“Yeah...yeah I’d really, _really_ like that.” She whispered against his lips before kissing him again.

 

He purred beneath her, gripping her hips and matching her quick kisses with his own. “You-” He pressed forward for a kiss. “-Make my heart sing.” He said as he began trailing kisses down her jaw.

 

Her heart felt full, and he felt it as she released that small package of love she held so close. It spilled out into her biotics in jolts. It hit him hard and fast, shook him to the core, and he choked out a sob. Her love tasted like thunder. Hitting him with a force stronger than he had imagined.

 

“I love you. I love you.” He said over and over while they kissed deeply in the corner of Ryder Park Plaza, the artificial sunlight being anything but romantic...but still. It was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you all thought he was going to taste like thunder HAH!


End file.
